BEAST
by Corvus no Genmu
Summary: They were powerful and filled with utmost loyalty. However, they had little control over themselves and were sealed away by the Oracle. But now, they are back, following the wake of an evil far greater than anything the Guardians have ever fought before.
1. The First Release

Hello everyone, I'm sure there are a lot of questions as to my 'death' but rest assured that I am in perfect health. In fact, life couldn't get much better for me! I'm gettin' married to the love of my life, my princess of dreams, Camille. In case y'all are confused as to how this occurred, well… you'll just have to wait and read my autobiography as to why I have been gone for so long and my ascension back into my TRUE nature.

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**A/N: **THIS IS AU IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS A FUSION OF BOTH THE COMICS AND THE CARTOON. 

**DISCLAIMER: OWN THE BEAST-CREW & THE BAD GUYS! NUTHIN' ELSE.**

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**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part One: The First Release

Deep within the mystical realm of light and purity known to many as the world of Kandrakar where the Oracle and the Congregation have watched over the many numerous worlds and bestowed upon five young girls of Earth the power and Heart of Kandrakar itself, which was in fact the very essence of the nymph Xin Jing whose body and soul was sacrificed to gather the four great dragons of China together and create the four grand rivers of China. Deep within the holy temple where the Congregation has often come to order lies a terrible forbidden secret that none but the Oracle himself have any knowledge about.

For though the Heart of Kandrakar was created from Xin Jing's sacrifice, another far stronger power was created from the Jade Emperor's anger and his sadness at the loss of his most favored friend. In his anger and despair he too sacrificed both his body and soul to create not only another talisman of great power equal to Xin Jing's, but five great Beasts that only his talisman could contain and control.

The Beasts were born with a fierce instinct to protect the Heart of Kandrakar and its holders and were proven to be too strong and too protective for their and everyone else's good. For though they protected the five Guardians loyally, the Beasts attacked and killed anyone that they deemed to be a threat to their charges' welfare. It was not until the Beasts attempted to kill the Congregation of Kandrakar that the Oracle sealed them deep under his temple before removing all memory of the great Beasts from the Guardians. Though the Oracle did all this, he failed to do the one thing that would ensure the Beasts' imprisonment.

He failed to not only destroy the Fang of Rakardnak, the talisman of the Jade Emperor; he failed to keep it within the mystical confines of Kandrakar where he and his monks could keep careful eyes upon its dark jeweled surface. Alas, the small gem escaped from the world of Kandrakar and into the mundane land known to us as Earth where it has slept in wait for hundreds of years, waiting until the right time for both parties to appear together and for the Great Evil to break free from its confines.

Now was that time.

For you see, deep within the mystical realm of Kandrakar, hidden far underneath the Oracle's temple, the five great Beasts of the Jade Emperor have broken free for the Beasts have now become aware of not only the Great Evil… but the Guardians as well.

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_Two years later… Shortly after Eloyn's Ascension to the Throne of Meridian. _

Wilhelmina Vandom was not only late, she was super late. Not only had her bewitched alarm clock failed to wake her from the depths of her most recent nightmare, but her pet dormouse had gotten himself caught in the dryer again, resulting in most of her finer clothes being covered in rodent hair, forcing Will to choose more subdued attire. Cursing her luck once more, Will ran up the stairs leading into the school and ran straight towards her locker where, unfortunately, three of the nastiest people Will had ever met on any world were waiting for her.

Uriah, Kurt, and Laurent, Sheffield Institute's greatest troublemakers.

"Well _hello_ there, _Wil-hel-mina_… Pleasure meeting you here." Will suppressed a cold shiver. Ever since Matt had moved away a month ago, Uriah had decided that Will would be his girlfriend whether she liked it or not and took many various means to try and 'woo' her. Recently, the pimpled jerk had taken to harassing her whenever she was alone, especially at times like this.

"Leave me alone, Uriah," muttered Will, her grip on her backpack tightening slightly as she reminded herself that she could not and would not use her powers to teleport Uriah and his thugs face-first into a dumpster.

"Now why would I want to leave my honeycakes alone?" asked Uriah, leaning in far too close for comfort.

"Because, I say so," growled a voice from behind Uriah. Whirling around, Uriah came eye-to-chin with some guy that obviously was new enough to know to never interrupt Uriah when he's with 'his' woman.

"Who the heck are you?" The boy in question smiled a carefree smile and moved around Uriah to stand beside Will and placed an arm around her neck, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'm her boyfriend."

"You're not her boyfriend!" exclaimed Uriah, pointing an accusing finger at the much taller boy. "I've never seen you around here before and I doubt that you know anything about her either!"

Smile still in place, the boy calmly turned his head so that his emerald eyes were looking into Will's brown ones and said, "You're favorite color is fuchsia and your favorite animal are frogs, none in specific, you own a dormouse that you have yet to actually give a name to, and your friends include Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin." He looked back at the pale-faced Uriah, "You were saying something?"

Muttering to himself, Uriah quickly took off with his two stooges following close behind. Sighing softly to himself, the boy removed his arm from Will's shoulders and ran a gloved hand through his pale brown hair. Will took the time to carefully look over the boy who appeared no older than herself, though he was quite tall for a fourteen-year-old. His hair was just past shoulder-length and done in a way that resembled spikes, though it did appear to be softer than silk. He was wearing a pale green t-shirt with faded brown slacks and he had a black bandana adorning his head. In a way, he did seem rather familiar to Will, but that was beside the point, how did he know so much about her?

"How did you know all that? Are some kind of stalker or something?" The boy blinked in surprise before laughing.

"Don't you ever change, Will," said the boy as his laughter died away, a happy smile adorning his face.

"Look, I _really_ don't know who you are but-" The boy's smile, if anything, gained a rather mischievous quality.

"Oh you don't do you? Then I guess I have no choice… but to remind you!" Faster than Will thought possible, the boy was behind her and tickling the back of her neck, causing her to laugh and squeal like she was five years old again. '_But no one knows my ticklish spot, not even the girls!_' thought Will as she desperately tried to swat the boy's hands away, '_Wait… there is someone… but he…_'

"Bastian?" gasped Will. Grinning quite widely, the boy backed away from Will, allowing her to regain her breath.

"Got in one there my little frog-girl."

"It _is_ you!" exclaimed Will shortly before jumping up and wrapping her arms around Bastian's neck, "When—How?"

Bastian chuckled to himself before gently easing Will's grip around his neck. "I'll tell ya later, Will. Right now, we're both running late for class."

Will's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh nuts! I'm already in trouble with Mr. Rydinger as it is! Look for me at lunch will you?"

"It's a promise, Will!" Bastian shouted to Will's rapidly departing form. Sighing to himself, Bastian calmly turned his head to look in the direction that Uriah and his gang had gone. A strange cold air began to descend around the boy as his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits while a feral frown began to appear on his face. Emerald eyes that were once warm became colder than steel as round pupils shrank away into thin reptilian lines. It wasn't until he heard the dripping sound of his own blood did Bastian shake himself out his strange trance. Glancing down at his tightly clenched, and now bleeding, hands, Bastian shuddered and sighed once more before racing off towards his class.

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The beyond-normal-happiness smile that adorned Will's face had yet to leave her as she sat down in her usual spot next to Cornelia, who did not fail to note the shorter girl's mood. Will had taken Matt's departure rather hard, almost as hard as Cornelia took Cal-'_NO. I've gone two days without saying HIS name, and I can go for the rest of my life if I have to._'

"So what's got you in such a cheerful mood? Even Mr. Rydinger lecturing you didn't wipe that goofy smile off your face."

Giggling quite happily, Will turned to face Cornelia and whispered, "Not what, _who_."

"Okay then, just who is it it?"

"_Him…_"

"Oookay… I think she's joined Hay Lin in lalaland," Irma whispered to Taranee, earning a sharp jab from the oriental girl.

"You guys don't understand, he's back! He's-"

"Right behind ya."

"Bastian!" Will whirled around and smiled up at the taller boy as he took a seat next to her. Bastian smiled a toothy grin and laughed as Will wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug that set his face into a barely seen flush.

"Hahaha, it's good to see you again too Will but I think your friends are a little confused as to who I am."

"Darn tootin' we are!" exclaimed Irma, "Will, where on earth did you ever find such a hunk?" At her realization as to what she had said and the looks she was receiving from the others, including Bastian, set her face to match Will's hair.

"Heh-heh," Bastian scratched his cheek in embarrassment, "I wouldn't say I'm a 'hunk' but as to how Will and I met… well… We met each other shortly before we began preschool, at the playground I believe…"

"Yeah," agreed Will, a small smile appearing on her face as she released her grip on Bastian's torso, "I almost forgot about that day…"

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_Flashback…_

_ "Widdle fwog-girl! Widdle fwog-girl!" A group of children jeered as they danced around the weeping red-haired girl who could not have been older than four. The girl was dressed in her favorite frog-themed shirt and had her all-time favorite-est hairpin, which was made to match the face of one Kermit the Frog. However, many of the playground kids found Will's love of frogs gross and disturbing and so set out to torment her by calling her as many foul things as they were allowed without their parents taking soap to their small, but venomous, mouths. Little did they, or Will, know that there was one kid who not only liked Will's choice of dress and her fascination with certain amphibious creatures, but that he was easy to anger at the sight of bullying. _

_ "Hey, leave 'er alone ya meanies!" A blast of cold water arched through the air to hit the leader of the group, a ugly little child whose clothes seemed unwashed since they were made, before a boy of four-years but quite tall for one his age ran at them, brandishing two large squirt-guns filled with ice-cold water, which had been prepared not for them but for his elder sister, but that's beside the point. _

_ With a almost Tarzan-like yell, the boy fired volley after volley at Will's tormentors, changing his aim from their heads to their pants, making it seem as though they had yet to fully control their bladders and making it easier for him to escape this without a lecture from his mama on when chivalry required the use of a squirt gun or two. _

_ "You okay?" asked the boy after the last of the bullies had taken off for home where their parents would, more than likely, berate them for having a sudden 'relapse'. _

_ "I'm –hic– okay…" sniffed Will as she rubbed her eyes clear of her tears. "T'ank you…" _

_ "Ah shucks…" muttered the boy as he bashfully kicked the ground, "I wanted to help. I like fwogs too ya know." _

_ "Weally?" _

_ "Yeah, my favowite's muppet is Kewmit and I even have a pet fwog called um… Jewwy!" said the boy as he smiled a toothy smile before his eyes widened in shock. "Oops! I fowgot to intwoduce myself!" Dropping the squirt-guns to the sandy ground of the playground, the boy bowed before Will and said, "My name's Bastian!" _

_ "I'm Will." For the rest of their time at the park, Will and Bastian played together and talked about the various things that interested them. What kind of crayons colored best, whether or not glue was a part of the food group, who was more popular Bugs or Mickey, and other such things that held their four-year old interests. It was not until their time in the playground was almost up did Will voice a question that would ultimately tie her and Bastian together for the rest of their lives. _

_ "My mommy said that if a boy and giwl like the same t'ings and each other, than they can be boyfwiend and giwlfwiend." _

_ "Weally?" asked an awed Bastian. _

_ "Yeah and I… well… I wike you…" _

_ "Weally? Well, I wike you too!" _

_ "Then do you wanna be boyfwiend and giwlfwiend?" _

_ "Yeah!" _

_ "Yay! I gots a boyfwiend!" exclaimed Will before placing a wet kiss on Bastian's cheek._

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"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwww…. That's so_ cute!_" exclaimed Hay Lin. Will blinked out of her reverie and blushed bright pink at the gooey eyes her friends had.

"_GUUUYS…_ We're not like that! Bastian and I don't see each other like that!" With her attention focused more on her friends, Will failed to notice the slight hurt in Bastian's eyes.

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Bastian sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that afternoon alone. True, seeing Will and being with her once more was absolutely wonderful, but the law of balance could not be denied. Bastian not only wanted but _had_ to let Will know how his feelings had deepened into something far stronger than friendship during their two-year separation. … And the terrible secret that he had kept during those years.

It had started a few months before he and his family moved away from Fadden Hills. For a time, he had been hearing strange whispers in normally quiet classrooms, especially during times that required the students' attention such as a pop quiz or review. Bastian put the voices off as stress from having to deal with the move and the heartbreak he was feeling not only from himself but Will as well. It was not until a few days before the move that Bastian realized the truth.

He was psychic.

He spent two days experimenting with various objects in his room before moving on to his fellow students. He didn't force his mind into theirs but merely opened his to receive their thoughts. What he "heard" both shocked and sickened him. Most of Will's friends and many of his own were only friends with the red-haired girl because they felt sorry for her and were, more or less, intimidated by him. Bastian never mentioned his powers or the truth of her friends to Will.

Not verbally anyway.

Bastian and Will had kept in touch quite often, calling and emailing each other as much as either of them could, but that did not seem enough to fill the empty feeling in either of their hearts, at least not for Will. For you see, Bastian had discovered another talent of his during his first summer without Will in about nine years. He could visit people's dreams and it was during such trips that Bastian could connect with Will, even if she forgot all about it the following morning.

Shortly before his school-term started, Bastian had come to a decision that had taken most of the summer to make. He would tell Will of his powers and his visitations into her dreams by telepathically speaking with her. Bastian had never attempted such a long range of telepathy before but weeks of success with his practicing had given him an ego boost that proved to be far too dangerous for him and Will. While he ended up unconscious for about a week, Will had ended up with his powers for a limited time. It wasn't until he had checked up on her during her sleep that Bastian discovered what had happened and swore to never use his powers on Will ever again.

Though he now suffered several nights of insomnia from his 'Will-withdrawal', Bastian still thought it was in both Will and his own interest that he kept his powers under a firm lid. However, it seemed that his destiny would not be denied and newer, far stranger things began to occur around him. Bastian kept suffering from repeated withdrawals of protein and so had to eat far more quantities of meat than he ever had before. Even stranger was the fact that cow meat seemed to help him best, especially when it was nearly undercooked.

Other things had begun to sprout up as well, such as strange rashes that felt like snake skin or his teeth becoming razor sharp fangs whenever he felt angry about something. These strange physical transformations thankfully disappeared as quickly as they came and rarely sprouted up again. However, the transformations were becoming more frequent and more defined, especially after he received the news that he and his family were moving to Heatherfield about three months ago. Proof of this came this morning after Uriah and his gang harassed Will. Bastian had to lie through his teeth to explain the bandages that suddenly appeared on his hands between that morning and lunch.

He could not very well tell Will that his fingernails had turned into claws now could he? At least not yet…

"Speaking of Will, where is she? I thought she said to meet her by the bike rack…" Bastian turned his head this way and that as he silently contemplated using his telepathy before firmly shaking his head. "I lasted a year without using it, I can last another if I-" By either his subconscious will or someone else's, Bastian psychic powers activated themselves as a sharp scream pierced through the air. Emotions raced across the connection that Bastian had established with Will two years ago. Emotions that ranged from anger to a cold fear that sent Bastian running back around the grounds of the institute and into the gymnasium.

Bastian slammed open the doors and focused his fear filled eyes first on Will's unconscious form, not failing to notice how her shirt and jacket were torn in some places, before moving to the shocked faces of Uriah and his gang. Eyes once warm with compassion narrowed into cold slits as a reptilian growl came from deep within Bastian's throat. The pendant that adorned his neck flickered with weak gold light before falling to the ground as the chain that held it snapped from the white energies surrounding Bastian. As the pendant slowly fell to the ground, Bastian lost whatever control he possessed and became that he had dreaded for the past two years.

A monster.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!"

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To Be Continued...

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	2. The Dragon's Heart

Me: Just to let you all know, each of the BEAST-crew will have three chapters devoted to them. The first being before the transformation, the second after and during, and the third being the aftermath. Also, some may be longer than this, and some may be shorter.

Bahamut: ... (Stares at Me)

Me: What?

Mewtwo: We're just wondering...

Bahamut: What are the other Beasts anyway?

Me: (Smirk) You'll have to wait and see.

Poupoko: Chaoaocha?

Me: Oh sure you can know before these guys.

Bahamut & Mewtwo: WHAAAAAAAT?

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**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER.** **

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**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Two: The Dragon's Heart

The beast was beyond furious, these mortal scum had tried to harm _his Guardian_! The very pedestal that held the beast's life into existence. He would not allow them to escape his wrath unscathed, even into death. Though that did not mean the beast would not kill them after he had caused the blood in their veins to flow like the crimson rivers of ancient Babylon. The beast growled angrily as he slowly stalked towards the mortals on his two shaking legs, still unused to his incomplete form. However, the beast had enough of its original body to do what was needed to teach these humans what fools they turned out to be.

Without a sound, the beast charged forward and slammed a large, featherless wing at the first human, sending it up into the air before the beast's tail wrapped around its legs and tossed the human into the opposite wall where it collapsed face first onto the hardwood floor. The beast was quick to use its spinning momentum to knock the second human up into the air where it crashed into the steel rafters and desperately clung to them. The beast growled once more and with a mighty flap of his large wings, flew upwards to snatch the human from its meager perch and simply let it drop to the ground where it landed with a loud thump.

The beast then turned to look down at the third and final human with a feral grin at the sight of the human's fear. The beast would have liked to have drunk himself into a stupor with the human's fear, but this was not a matter of sustenance but a matter of complete and utter vengeance!

The beast dove downwards and slammed down onto the paralyzed human, pinning it to the ground easily. The beast snarled as saliva dripped down from its large canines onto the human's pale face. This was the one, the beast knew, this was the one that had tried to harm his Guardian, the one who would be the first…

The first to die!

The beast reared back his head and prepared to clamp down and rip away the human's throat when a sharp and near unbearable pain appeared between and above its two eyes. Roaring and clutching his head in pain, the beast backed away from the now unconscious Uriah.

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'_Where… Where am I…?_' There was nothing around him, no sound, no light, nothing to help Bastian figure out where the heck he was. Though there was nothing that his basic five senses could discern, Bastian's sixth sense was not unaware of the strange energy that coursed about him. As though aware of his revelation towards its existence, the energy bent and twisted upon itself before appearing before Bastian in the form of two oval-shaped windows. Confused and a little freaked out by this, Bastian nonetheless moved towards the windows and peered into them.

Through them, Bastian could see a scene of utmost horror as Uriah and his gang were being attacked by a ferocious beast of some sort. Bastian could not tell for sure what so of creature it was that was attacking them since the windows only allowed Bastian to see the beast's arms and—'_Oh god… please no…_' Bastian had suddenly realized just what was attacking Uriah and his hoodlums.

It was Bastian himself.

'_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_'

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Bastian roared in agony before dropping to the floor as his pupil-less eyes faded back into familiar emerald. Panting breathlessly as his body quivered from the pain he was feeling until, with a very agonized hiss, Bastian stood on his two hind legs and looked at the work his body had done. With his psychic powers Bastian was able to tell that Uriah and his gang, though severely beaten, would live, but their health was not important, Will's was. Carefully moving towards Will on his dinosaurian feet, Bastian looked over her with his now enhanced vision but was unable to truly see what they had done to her in the dark gymnasium.

Bastian sighed through his snakelike nose and carefully placed a clawed hand on Will's neck, but the thickness of his dull brown scales prevented him from feeling her pulse. It was only the steady rise and fall of Will's chest that assured Bastian that she was still okay enough to breathe on her own. However, even though she was okay, Will and Bastian had to leave the area before Uriah and his stooges awoke or, worse, the cops decided to investigate the noises Bastian's smack down had caused.

Bastian quickly knelt down and gathered Will in his arms, being mindful of his claws, before racing off into the fading afternoon light, totally heedless of the multiple pairs of gleaming red eyes that were watching not his rapidly departing form, but the unconscious Uriah. However, Bastian was quite aware of the eyes of Will's friends, all of whom had grown worried at the absence of their friend and had decided to double back to check on her and Bastian.

Okay, so maybe they wanted to spy on them more than anything, but they had grown worried especially now that Will was seemingly in the arms of a beast. However, before any words could be spoken between Bastian and the girls, Will began to stir and awaken in his scaly arms. A soft moan escaped her lips before her blinking eyes focused upon Bastian's green reptilian ones.

"EEEEEEEEEEK!" Will's shriek startled Bastian enough to cause him to drop her unceremoniously onto the ground before jumping back and away from her. His large wings spread out as wide as they could, instinctually reacting to Bastian's fear of Will's reaction, which was not very flattering to so the least. "What the heck is that!"

"We were hoping you could tell us!" exclaimed Cornelia as she and the others quickly moved to stand beside Will even as Bastian tried to make himself appear less intimidating, it did not help that he easily towered over the girls at a stunning eight feet.

Bastian tried to tell them who he was but all that came from his fanged mouth were deep growls and faint hissing that served to only put the girls on edge enough for Will to call out the words that they all had become all too accustomed to hearing.

"GUARDIANS UNITE!" A small orb that glowed with a powerful light emerged from Will's chest and exploded into a rainbow of bright light that separated and conjoined to the five girls, wrapping them in glasslike orbs that shattered within seconds of touching the ground, revealing to Bastian the slightly aged forms they girls had changed into. The only true word to describe Bastian's reaction would be gob smacked. All the draconic teen could do was blink stupidly as he stared openmouthed at the sixteen-year-old pixie that was his best friend. Were his scales capable of showing it, Bastian would have been blushing up a storm.

Bastian quickly shook himself out of his stunned stupor at the battle stances the five transformed girls were taking, and tried once more to try and speak to them and, again, all he could produce were animalistic noises that served to further frighten the girls into action.

"Let's get him!" Taking to the air, Hay Lin was about to create a powerful gust of Northern Wind and blow Bastian away when, suddenly, a voice cried out in pure horror from within the depths of the gymnasium. Before Hay Lin could even turn around, a dark shape burst through the wall of the gym and slammed into her, knocking her back onto the ground before quickly moving towards Will.

Will had only enough time to scream as the black shadow grabbed her within its large pincers and take off into the air. Bastian, though quite surprised by the thing's sudden appearance, reacted quickly to Will's scream and sudden engulfment of fear. With a furious cry, Bastian jumped up at the shadow-creature and slammed a fist into one of the thing's many legs. The shadow didn't even twitch as it turned in mid-air to meet an unyielding assault of fists to its midsection. Instead, it began to laugh a sickeningly familiar laugh that turned Bastian's blood into ice. Stopping his assault, Bastian slowly looked up into the face of Uriah.

"_GoOdByE, lOSeR_." Uriah lifted a leg arachnidan leg and shot a thin stream of pure energy into the stunned Bastian, blasting him through the unbroken part of the gymnasium wall before taking off higher into the air. The shocked Guardians could do no more than watch as the dark form disappeared behind a cloud bank and out of sight.

Meanwhile, inside the severely wrecked gymnasium, Bastian was struggling to rise to his reptilian feet, but the pain from his broken wings and ribs kept him down on the ground. However, something inside Bastian wasn't willing to allow such weakness to keep him and it down.

Strange foreign feelings were shooting across Bastian's mind as another presence desperately tried to get its message across. Though he was in pain, Bastian wasn't shocked to feel another being within his mind since such things had been occurring to him for the past two years. He was, however, confused as to why the presence chose to not to speak with words.

(_Who the heck are you?_)

More feelings to protect shot through Bastian's aching mind until a single word burned behind his eyes. **GUARDIAN**.

(_What Guardian? I want to save Will!_)

The Presence seemed to grow angry at this and sent several images through Bastian's mind, all of which served to only horrify him further. Startling images of bizarre shaped shadows drawing in large masses of humanoid beings and spitting out what could have been bone had the remains not disintegrated within moments of expulsion. Then Will's smiling face danced across his eyes only to meet the same fate as the humanoids.

(_NO! I refuse to let that happen!_) Bastian gritted his fangs painfully as he dragged himself along the ground towards the hole he had made. Instead of focusing on the intense pain coursing through him, Bastian focused his thoughts on Will and everything they had done together. He focused on the good times alongside the bad, the laughs and the tears, but most of all, he focused on his love for her and used to as the fuel to keep himself going. Unbeknownst to Bastian, The Presence that had communicated with him had seen all of what Bastian recollected and felt Bastian's love for the Guardian of the Heart.

Feelings of confusion speckled their way across Bastian's mind, asking a silent question that held no words but Bastian understood nonetheless. Bastian flinched as his left wing bumped against a piece of large rubble before continuing in his pitiful attempt at movement.

(_More than my own life._) The Presence was silent for such a time that Bastian had thought it had broken connection with him until its reptilian voice spoke its first and final word.

(**PROTECT.**) The pendant that had recently adorned his once human neck slowly lifted up from the ground and floated beside him, glowing with a strangely familiar gold light that eased away Bastian's pain just by looking at it. Suddenly, a small orb of light with a strange rune adorning its surface shot forth from the pendant and enshrouded him within its warm light.

* * *

"We gotta go after them! Who knows what that thing is going to do to her!" exclaimed Irma. Taranee frowned and looked up at Irma from where she was kneeling next to Hay Lin, who was just coming to her senses.

"That thing happened to be Uriah, Irma, and I think we both know what's he's going to do." Cornelia shivered and rubbed her shoulders.

"Okay, we gotta move. Now."

"How?" asked Hay Lin, rubbing her forehead in discomfort, "I'm the only one that I can fly and I doubt the rest of you are light enough for your wings to support you alone."

"Hey, it works for bumblebees!" exclaimed Irma irately. Cornelia opened her mouth to say something sarcastic but was interrupted by the beams of golden light shooting out from within the gymnasium and the strange gong-like sounds that followed in their wake. Once the beams of light had died away into the setting sun's red light, a large shape slowly emerged from one of the holes decorating the gymnasium's side. The Guardians could only stare in openmouthed shock as the jade-scaled Dragon gently walked towards them. Large reptilian claws dug into the earth as wings seemingly composed of rainbows spread themselves wide above the Dragon's back. His great head, resembling that of the ancient dragons of China's past, looked up into the darkening sky before his fang lined maw opened and released the gong-like bellows once more. Though the sound was a bit frightening to the girls, the way that the Dragon's roar sounded more like a symphony of gongs made them more at ease than afraid.

Human eyes, as green as emeralds, turned from the sky to focus on the girls, startling them out of their relaxed stupor. Slowly, a third eye opened above and between the primary two, and a voice that was strangely familiar to the girls began to echo in their heads. (**_Will you help me to save her?_**) Their own hearts gave the Dragon the answer he needed to hear before their mouths could even form the words. (**_Thank you._**) The Dragon's third eye began to glow magenta, a glow that soon appeared around the four Guardians shortly before they and the Dragon himself took off into the air in pursuit of their friend and the monster that Uriah had become.

* * *

Will glared up into the pimpled face of Rachiah with utter hatred. Uriah, or the creature that had taken over Uriah, Will couldn't really tell which, had taken them to the Heatherfield Bridge. With the setting sun behind it, Will could easily see how much more defined the shadow had become. It now had definite skin which was made in a way that reminded Will of ancient armor except for the extra pair of arms and legs that made the thing more spider-like. Its head rested above Uriah's giving the punk teenager the appearance of being nothing more than an accessory to the thing. Its eyes, or what Will gathered to be eyes, were staring at her with something that sent shivers throughout her body.

Hunger.

A tongue dripping in smoking saliva slowly slithered out from the things head as Uriah's own began to speak. "_JoIN uS WilL! BeCOmE OnE wItH US!_" As Uriah spoke, the shadow's tongue slowly began to draw closer to her face.

"Oh heck no! You keep that thing away from me you pizza-faced jerk!" A sudden roar punctuated her statement. Uriah had no time to even turn about before a large jade-scaled Dragon slammed into him feet first, effectively knocking Will from his shadowy claws. Before gravity could take hold of Will, a magenta-colored aura surrounded her and gently moved her to land beside her friends.

Rachiah growled angrily and shoved the Dragon off and moved to grab Will once again, but the Dragon quickly knocked Rachiah onto his back again with his tail. Not sparing any time, the Dragon quickly bit into one of Rachiah's legs and lifted him up into the air before slamming him back down onto the ground. The Dragon managed to repeat this several times before Rachiah's remaining limbs wrapped themselves around the Dragon's neck, choking him severely. Just as the Dragon was losing consciousness, the sand around him and Rachiah suddenly gathered up and formed crude clubs that began to beat against Rachiah's solid form. Finding Rachiah's grip suddenly gone, the Dragon quickly took off into the air. Seeing this, Rachiah began to roar in rage as his shadowy form began to quiver before a pair of insectoid wings emerged from his thorax. Chuckling, Rachiah quickly took off after the Dragon, his four arms ready to tear him limb from limb.

Seeing his opponent's sudden gain of advantage, the Dragon turned in mid-air to meet Rachiah's charge. Organic claws met those composed of shadows as both combatants began a fight befitting that of primordial beasts. Though Rachiah had the advantage over him, the Dragon still managed to hold its own even though Rachiah's strength steadily rose to match the pace of the sun's descent into the horizon.

Unfortunately, as Rachiah's strength rose, so did his intelligence with which he did not fail to fully utilize. Keeping the Dragon's claws and mouth at bay with four of his appendages, Rachiah used the spares as knives, ripping and tearing at the Dragon's wings until they resembled nothing more than tattered ribbons. Without his wings to keep him aloft, the Dragon fell out of the air and landed heavily upon the dark sands of the river. Gritting his teeth in pain, the Dragon slowly stood to his feet and looked up at Rachiah who was flying high above him and merging more with the shadows than before.

Rachiah's human face was now pitch black and the arachnidan body of the shadow that was absorbing him had altered its thorax into a large tail similar to that of a scorpion. It was with this tail that Rachiah chose a new form of attack. Increasing the speed of his wings, Rachiah hovered in place until he disappeared with the sound of his wings echoing in the air. The Dragon, startled by this, snarled and started to turn around only to feel Rachiah's needle-like stinger pierce its way into his back.

The sound of gongs breaking apart filled the air as the Dragon screeched his pain into the dark skies with Rachiah's clicking laughter following close behind. The Dragon began to buck about like a maddened horse as he tried to desperately get Rachiah's stinger loose from his back. However, it turned out to be a blast of fire that sent Rachiah, stinger and all, back into the air. Clicking his sword-like mandibles angrily, Rachiah turned to glare down at the Guardians who dared to try and stop him from having his meal. Mandibles still clicking, Rachiah dive-bombed down towards the Guardians with his stinger at ready only to heavily impact against a magenta-colored bubble that had suddenly surrounded the girls.

Rachiah turned about and glowered at the Dragon, whose third eye was open and glowing once again. The Dragon growled deep in his throat before roaring a loud symphony of gongs as he snapped his head forward, his knife-like teeth chomping down on—Air… The Dragon growled once more and slowly looked back and forth, his third eye wide and glaring as he tried to catch sight of his opponent. A sudden sharp pain in his tail made the Dragon whirl about, only to receive a face full of Rachiah's claws. Screeching in pain, the Dragon backed away from Rachiah, his now useless wings flapping in a desperate attempt to escape from the transformed teen's onslaught.

Suddenly, a bright beam of neon pink light ripped through the air, shaking the air with an orchestrated symphony of exotic music. The light bent around Rachiah's torso and ripped the large insectoid away from the Dragon before encircling the very creature it had rescued. The Dragon snarled in confusion as its one golden scale, which rested just below his collar bone, grew brighter before shooting out a ribbon-like stream of gold light. The two beams began to encircle each other until it was impossible to tell them apart from the other.

The strange orchestra of music began anew, this time with much greater force, as the lights whirled through the air around the Dragon. Time seemed to flow faster as the dark skies of the evening were pushed away and the bright blue skies appeared above the bridge. The lights suddenly twisted in place and dove straight down towards the startled Dragon, passing through the glowing gold scale on his chest and entering his body.

A sudden increase of energy gave the Dragon reason to roar his gong-like calls into the sky as his newly healed wings spread themselves wide, taking him up into the air to meet against the paralyzed Rachiah. Thanks to the beams of light from the Heart and from the Dragon, Rachiah's form was given true sustenance and was easily affected by the light of the morning sky. As the Dragon drew closer, a light began to glow deep within his throat as an aura of power surrounded his third eye.

(**_Eat this!_**) A beam of concentrated light burst from the Dragon's mouth, flying through the air and Rachiah himself. A startling scream ripped through the air, which sounded far worse than nails on a chalkboard, as the dark parasite that had taken a hold of Uriah was ripped away and destroyed, its shadowy form melting away into the Dragon's light.

Uriah, now nothing more than a mere human with a severe case of pimples, crashed to the sand, the Dragon landing not far from him. Leaning his head down, the Dragon sniffed at the pizza-faced punk and snorted in disgust before looking up at the Guardians, or to be more specific, Will who still held the Heart of Kandrakar in her hands. The Dragon smiled a toothy smile, which admittedly scared the girls a bit, and nodded his gratitude even as his scales fell away into the wind. Soon, all the scales were gone and all that was left of the Dragon was a boy by the name of Bastian Benson.

"Ba-BASTIAN?" Will's eyes were wider than dinner plates as she openly stared at her best friend who was blushing self-consciously.

"Yeah…" Will could only do what any girl would do after seeing her best guy friend change from being a dragon.

She fainted.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	3. Confessions

Bahamut: C'mon. Tell us!

Me: What makes you think I'll change my mind after weeks of your constant pestering?

Mewtwo: Cause you've just updated the story.

Me: That makes no sense whatsoever.

Muses: So?

Me: Good point. (Sigh) Fine, it's like this:

_The First Will Be Of The Beginning_

_The Second Will Be The Herald Of The World's End_

_The Fourth Will Decide Who Lives_

_The Fourth Will Decide Who Dies_

_The Fifth Will Watch It All_

Mewtwo: ... That makes even less sense than what I said!

**

* * *

**

**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

**

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Three: Confessions

Dark storm clouds rolled across the sky as red lightning shot at the barren ground. Large pellets of water colder than ice fell to the ground as dead trees began to crumble and break underneath the gale force winds that surrounded the land. Bastian struggled to remain standing against the harsh forces that consisted not of nature but of Will's own mind.

Of Will's own dreamscape turned into a land of nightmares.

The loud neighing of a horse drew Bastian's eyes towards the source of the drastic change in his friend's dreamscape. Another creature seemingly composed of shadows was circling around Will's weeping form in a proud canter, a fanged smile adorning its equine head. It was hard for Bastian to believe that it was only a few hours ago that he had defeated a similar creature, but then again, stranger things had occurred, especially after he and the girls had brought Will to the Silver Dragon Restaurant.

* * *

Bastian shifted uncomfortably under the harsh stares of Will's four friends and Yan Lin, Hay Lin's grandmother. The girls had allowed him to place her on Hay Lin's bed but they had all but snarled at him to get downstairs to explain himself. So here he was being stared down by a bunch of girls that were all about up to his chin in terms of height.

"So… care to explain how you gained mystical powers, Lord Dragon?" asked Yan Lin in a tone of deep respect which contained a note of suspicion.

"Lord Dragon?" Bastian blinked up at Yan Lin before sitting up with a frown etched on his face. "I think there's some mistake here. I'm _human_ thank you very much."

"Oh yeah," Irma said with a roll of her blue eyes. "Like a human guy can turn into a dragon."

"It's just as likely as a bunch of girls, including my best friend, turning into pixies." Bastian grinned smugly at the shocked expressions on the girls' faces. "Didn't think I'd remember that didya?"

Yan Lin shot the girls in question a hard look. "No, I do not think they did." The girls shifted uncomfortably under Hay Lin's Grandmother's sharp glare, and were quite grateful for Bastian's sudden interruption.

"So how come you share a similar aura to Hay Lin?" It was now Yan Lin's turn to look shocked, though the girls appeared more so than her of course.

"You can see auras?" asked Hay Lin, her voice aquiver with curiosity. Bastian shrugged.

"Not really… I'm psychic so I can sense stuff that most people can't. I was actually gonna ask you girls about it anyway seeing as Will's aura has changed slightly as well."

"You're psychic?" Taranee asked her tone disbelieving. "How so?"

"I'm telepathic and I excel at telekinesis."

"Tele-whatsit? WHOA!" Irma's question was answered by the barely seen light of magenta psyche-energy lifting her three feet off the ground.

"Were you always like this?" asked Yan Lin, completely ignoring Irma who was waving her arms like a chicken gone mad.

"No. My powers started appearing two years ago alongside the… side-effects…"

"Side-effects?" asked Cornelia.

"The beast… the dragon… Today was the first time I fully transformed into that thing. Before it was always something small, like a rash of scales appearing on my arm. I've never become a monster. … until yesterday…" The girls looked at each other silently save Yan Lin whose eyes were focused entirely on Bastian, or rather, the object around Bastian's neck.

"Where did you get that pendant?" she asked slowly, her voice tightly strained with worry. All the Guardians throughout the centuries were warned of an item of great power unequal even to the Heart of Kandrakar and if this was that item… Yan Lin didn't even want to think about it.

"What pendant?" asked Bastian before looking down at his shirt to see the golden globe wrapped in shining iron hanging from his neck. "What the—I don't own anything like this."

"Listen to me very carefully, Bastian. You must give me that pendant." Yan Lin's once warm eyes were colder than iron as they glared at the pendant hanging from Bastian's neck.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" asked Bastian, suddenly feeling defensive about the pendant. He didn't know why but he knew that the pendant was not only important to him but to every one of Will's friends especially Will herself. The very idea of it being taken from him put Bastian on edge.

"Nothing dear. I just to take a look at it." Yan Lin attempted to take the pendant by hand but soon found herself staring into Bastian's glowing eyes, her hand caught in his vice-like grip.

"No." Bastian's voice sounded faintly reptilian for but a moment before his eyes became mundane once more. Releasing Yan Lin's arm as though it burned him, Bastian sat back into his chair with a shuddering breath. "What the heck is going on around here?" Eyes deeply etched with confusion and fear gazed up into Yan Lin's own. "Please… tell me the truth… I deserve that much at least…"

Yan Lin gazed down at Bastian, her stature and eyes giving evidence to the fact that she still did not fully trust him enough to reveal what she knew. Bastian knew there was only one way he could possibly convince her otherwise but was hesitant to do so. It would mean breaking his vow to never use his telepathy ever again so it was no surprise that Bastian was not eager to do so. However, Bastian also knew that more was at stake here. The visions The Presence had shown him were not in any way similar to the creature he had fought before save the fact that the creatures were composed of shadows. Bastian needed to know what was going on, if only to protect Will.

"Please…" Bastian whispered, his eyes gaining a familiar gentle glow as his mind connected with Yan Lin's. He showed her everything and anything that mattered to him, from his elder sister to his childhood toy. The good times he shared alongside Will as well as the bad. He showed her the time that they both had gotten the chicken pox together and how each helped the other through it while driving their parents crazy at the same time. He showed their first fight and what he had done to get Will to forgive him. And then he showed her something that he hadn't told or shared with anyone, not even Will. At least, not after it had happened.

He showed Yan Lin his and Will's first kiss and all the emotions connected to it.

With a soft sigh, Bastian broke the connection and quickly exited from his trip down memory lane to look into Yan Lin's eyes, which now looked at him in a way that he hadn't seen since his own grandmother had passed away years ago. With a deep breath, Yan Lin began the tale of the Guardians of the Veil with the girls occasionally adding their two cents. She told Bastian of how the Guardians were selected and what their purpose was. She told him of Phobos and Eloyn, of Eloyn's treachery and eventual reclaiming of her true place in Meridian, of Phobos' defeat at the hand of his sister and the Guardians, and finally, about the source of the Guardians' power.

The Heart of Kandrakar.

When all was said, Yan Lin and the girls watched Bastian as he mentally went through everything they said. When he did speak, he asked them a question none of them had ever thought he would ask. "Isn't there more to the story?"

"What do you mean?" asked Taranee.

"The Jade Emperor… what happened to him?" The girls looked just as puzzled as Bastian by this thought and turned to Yan Lin for an answer. Unfortunately, Yan Lin was just as confused by the idea as they.

"I… I don't know. I never thought to ask." The girls sighed at that, but Bastian merely rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"I think… I think he made this." Bastian held up his golden medallion. "In a similar way to Xin Jing."

"Similar?" asked Irma, not liking the sound of that. "What do you mean? Why not the same?"

"Because Xin Jing created the Heart and the four great rivers of China. The Jade Emperor created something else."

"What?" asked Taranee, nervousness clearly evident in her voice.

"Five beast of great power… and this," the medallion began to glow brightly as Bastian whispered its name for the first time in centuries.

"The Fang of Rakardnak."

"The Fang…" whispered Hay Lin.

"Of Rakardnak?" murmured Cornelia.

"Yeah. I'm sure that's its name. I feel it in my—" Feelings of dread and fear shot through Bastian's heart and mind. Feelings so closely tied to his very being that, for a brief moment, he had thought the feelings were his own. However, with a wave of his own fear, Bastian quickly realized where, or rather who, these feelings were coming from.

"WILL!" Bastian shot out of the chair and all but flew up the stairs, knocking away anything in his path with his telekinesis. Slamming the door to Hay Lin's door off its hinges, Bastian stared at Will's trembling form for barely a blink's time before kneeling beside her, shaking her with urgency. "Will! Will! Wake up! You're having a nightmare that's all! WILL!"

But Will refused to awaken.

Bastian attempted to touch Will's forehead with his hand but was shocked, literally, by a small bolt of lightning.

_Black_ lightning.

Something was attacking Will from within her mind, and that something was connected to the arachnid creature that he had defeated earlier. Bastian knew what he had to do but dare he risk losing Will because of his carelessness? Dare he hurt her again? Looking down at her tear-covered face, Bastian answered his questions and turned to face the girls, all standing just outside the door.

"I'm going in." The girls' eyes widened and Cornelia quickly stepped forward.

"Waitasec! Let's think this through—come up with a plan—Something!"

Bastian smirked and turned to face Will. "Never have, never will." With a flash of magenta light, Bastian disappeared from the mundane world of fact and entered the fantastical realm of dreams.

* * *

"Oh god… Will… what's happened to you?" When he landed, Bastian was horrified by the vast and dreadful changes Will's dreamscape had undergone since his last visit two years ago. Skies as blue as clean ocean waves were now black as a starless night with dreadful purple clouds raining large droplets of red that gave the dried up ground little quenching to its obvious thirst. Trees stood scattered as large as monoliths and just as unnerving, their branches and bark completely devoid of any sign of life as cold blasts of wind howled desolately.

And in the middle of it all sat Will, crying as the most atrocious horse Bastian had ever seen stood over her, basking in her sorrow and the deadness of her dreamscape. The horse was as black as Rachiah but possessed nothing remotely human or even equine save for its shape. Fangs as deadly as daggers snapped at the air within a rotting mouth as noxious green fumes escaped from its flaring nostrils to circle around Will. Its hairless tail whipped back and forth as eyes red as blood focused upon Bastian. With a loud neigh, the horse reared back as the land became even more nightmarish. This is where was how Bastian had found himself inside Will's mind in the company of a monster.

Of a NightMare.

Growling with rage, Bastian reached down to reach for the Fang only to feel nothing but empty air. It was then that Bastian remembered that not only was he a visitor in Will's mind, but he had absolutely no power here unless Will gave it to him. At the moment, that was extremely unlikely as the NightMare continued feeding dark dreams into Will, making the landscape even more like its namesake. Grunting against a sudden push of an unnatural wind, Bastian kneeled down and felt the pebbles beneath his hands.

A sudden idea sprouted inside his head that, if he had told it to anyone, they would have told straight up that it was the most insane thing they've ever heard. Bastian knew that he was going to get an earful from Will later, but it was an earful he would look forward to, knowing that it would mean Will's safety. Bastian slowly picked up the sharpest pebble he could find and carefully took aim before throwing it with all his might, silently praying that his years in little league didn't fade away.

His prayer was answered in full as the pebble impacted and pierced the NightMare's right eye.

Neighing in agony, the NightMare shook its head as black blood splashed through the air, only to vanish as if it never existed in the first place. The monster turned its remaining eye at Bastian and snorted a long stream of noxious gas from its nose. The gas circled around the NightMare's head before fading away as the decayed equine terror charged forward at the human boy that dared to strike it. Bastian grinned and quickly ran forward to meet the Mare only to dodge and roll to side just before it could stomp him to the ground. As the NightMare struggled to stop itself, Bastian ran full force against the wind until he reached Will's now prone form and did the one thing he could do in his current situation.

He kissed her.

The result was slow but soon quickened. The hurricane winds slowed to a stop as the clouds faded away, taking their lightning and rain with them. The NightMare snorted angrily and turned about even as Will slowly began to kiss Bastian back shortly before she fully 'awoke'. Opening her eyes, Will looked up into Bastian's own before she realized what her lips were currently doing with his. With a startled shriek, Will scurried back and stared at Bastian as her face heated up to match Bastian's own.

"Bas-Bastian! What—Why?"

"No time to explain, Will. I need your help here." Bastian turned and looked back at the NightMare, which was now snorting up more of its noxious gas than before, its anger having risen with Will's awakening from its dark dreams. "I need you to believe that I have the power to beat that thing!"

Will looked past Bastian to see the hideous equine and blanched. "Bastian, are you insane! You can't—"

"I can if you believe in me!" Bastian edged back to kneel beside Will as the NightMare began to stamp its left forefoot in preparation to charge. "Please, Will! Allow me to have the power I had before! Let me become the beast—the Dragon that protected you once again!"

"Bastian… I…"

"Please Will! I love you too much too let you get hurt by this blasted monster!"

* * *

With a ferocious cry, the NightMare charged towards them, its hoof beats echoing like thunder until it skidded to a stop. Something had changed; the status quo had suddenly taken a severe u-turn on the decaying NightMare. How did it know this? Was it perhaps the rapidly brightening sky, or the sudden blooming of flowers and grass?

Or perhaps it was the giant jade-scaled dragon staring down at it with his fangs displayed in a feral snarl. The NightMare's sole eye widened in fear as it stared into the human eyes of the dragon that was Bastian. The two had unwittingly entered a contest as ancient as time itself, a contest of pure will—of predator and prey. The NightMare did not want to surrender the hold it had held for nearly two years to this beast, but it did not wish to die again for a land that was rapidly fading outside its control. Bastian would not surrender to the NightMare nor would he allow it entrance into Will's mind ever again. Whosoever moved first would be the first to die. The two stood staring at each other for what seemed like centuries until the NightMare took a hesitant step back with its right forefoot.

(**_No. There will be no escape._**) The single golden scale on Bastian's chest glowed brightly as beams of light erupted from his mouth to encompass the NightMare, destroying it as utterly as it had destroyed Rachiah. The NightMare only had enough time to scream before its decaying body burst into dust, disappearing from Will's dreamscape, never to return. Bastian snorted and turned to look down at Will, who was staring up at him with shock and, much to his despair, fear.

(**_Forgive me…_**)

* * *

Bastian sighed to himself as he swung back and forth on the swing set in the playground near his home. After he had left Will's dreamscape and returned to his body, Will's friends had immediately bombarded him with questions as to what had occurred only for their attention to focus upon their awakening friend. Finding everyone's attention focused on something other than him, Bastian used the opportunity to slip out of the Silver Dragon Restaurant and into the evening light of the moon.

His trip inside Will's head was short in terms of time spent in her dreamscape, but out in the real world, several hours had already passed and another day was coming to an end. Bastian sighed to himself and silently hoped that the rest of his life wouldn't be spent fast forwarding through days. He liked the golden light of the sun much more than the pale light of the moon,

The chains of the swing next to him clinked as a familiar voice said, "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Bastian continued to swing, his eyes focused on anything but Will.

"You gonna tell me what's been going on?" Will asked, swinging alongside Bastian, matching him swing for swing.

"Didn't your friends tell you?" asked Bastian, still not looking at her.

"Yeah, but that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then what are you talking about?" asked Bastian, '_As if I don't know._'

"You know…" Bastian could just barely hear the blood rushing to Will's cheeks. "The… kiss… and the… thing you said."

"Well…" murmured Bastian. "That kiss wasn't our first remember?"

"Yeah… I remember…"

"As for what I said…" It was now or never. Bastian could either confess the truth to Will or lie through his teeth, thereby ensuring that they would still, at the very least, be friends. Bastian, for the first and last time in his life, decided to take the coward's way out. Taking a deep lungful of air to gather his conviction, Bastian turned to face Will only to have whatever conviction he had gathered fly out the window. Will looked the same as she did every day; nothing had changed about her since he had seen her last before he became the Dragon. Nothing had changed and yet everything had changed. With the light of the pale moon, Bastian was able to see all the reasons why he had fallen in love with his best friend.

"Well…?" asked Will, interrupting Bastian's train of thought.

"I meant it. God, Will, I've loved you since our first kiss."

"Bastian… We were ten," said Will, her voice hesitant yet containing something Bastian could not place.

"So?"

"You've been in love with me for four years?"

"Yeah."

"Thank god," Will sighed to herself, "I thought it was just me."

"… Really?"

"Really, really."

"… Will…"

"Yes, Bastian?"

"I love you!" Bastian cried with exuberance, picking up and joyfully spinning her around, his laughter mixing with her own. Once their level of exhilaration dropped down to normal levels, the two paranormal teens found themselves lost in each other's eyes. The spell was broken by the sudden and pleasing awareness that their lips were touching in such a way that they could only describe it as pure bliss.

'_Maybe the moon's not so bad after all…_'

* * *

"It would seem that your zombie failed, Rachano…" A fierce clicking sound, like two daggers striking against each other echoed across the playground.

"That undead was _not_ _mine_, Yinodo!"

"I know, I know! Relax for once would ya?"

"Relax? (Click-Click) How can I relax when that-(CLICK-CLICK)-that-(CLICK-CLICK) _murderer_ still walks?"

"It's your own fault for sending one of your shadow-spiders to absorb that puny mundane, even if he does make a good absorption. Mobena will be ticked when she finds out you used one of her pets."

"(Clickety-Clickety)" The strange clicks were sounding very giddy, if only for a brief moment. "Did you not see the matter of which that zombie was?"

"Yes… You mean she took one of the fallen ones?"

"Indeed."

"But Magister Rerota doesn't allow anyone the use of his NightMares! Including the dead ones!"

"You forget, my dear poppet, how little my and the others' respect is for our dear leader. (Click-Click) I work for myself. (Click-Click) No one else. And if even if it means my own death, I _will_ kill that blasted Dragon!"

"You wouldn't be saying that if Magister Rerota was here."

"Which is exactly _why_ I'm saying it now, poppet. (Click-Click) That fool doesn't care about anything but keeping that mongrel under control and because of that, our numbers have been growing slower than they should be! (Click-Click) We should have an entire world's worth of soldiers at our beck and call by now! (Click-Click)"

"We will once the Plan commences."

"The Plan? (Clickety-Clickety) You actually think Rerota has what it takes to bring His Highness back?"

"Not at the moment, but he will. Once he regains His Majesty's name, and once that happens…"

"The Veil will be Nothing once again!" Dark laughter echoed across Heatherfield Park as two inhuman figures disappeared back into the unnatural world that created them. Back to the world where beings were without hearts, without souls, where only those composed of Nothing could exist…

Korauk, the World That Was Never Meant To Be.

* * *

_Huanglong_

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**_

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_**

Okay folks, here's the deal on the world of W.I.T.C.H. AKA, the world of B.E.A.S.T. It's a literal fusion of both the comics and the cartoon, but more heavy on the comics since the girls are a heck of a lot cooler in them. Now I know a lot of you are thinking, 'What comics? What's he talking about?' Basically, the comics were made BEFORE the cartoon and in Europe originally. The comics are available here albeit… well… they're Americanized to the point that they're only located in the 'little kids' section of your closest bookstore. Shocked? Angry? Well don't shoot the messenger.

Also, I want to clear up a few minor details that'll be occurring in my fic. First, and foremost, Will's full name is, in fact, Wilhelmina but was changed into something more recognized in America. Second, Caleb is as he is in the comics, a golem. A being created by Phobos that later rebelled against him. I know the cartoon portrays him as a rebel leader and it is the same in the comics, but with much more stuff behind it. And no, he doesn't have a dad. Unless you count Phobos.

Bahamut: YUCK!

Anyway, that really doesn't matter anyway cause Caleb is dead in my fic. What, you actually expected a golem to survive if the power behind it is severely weakened? I don't think so. However, be appeased to know that it was the golem, the copy, that died.

Next, for those who've read the comics and/or seen the minor details in the cartoon, Will's crush, Matt Somethingorother, has moved away but his grandfather still runs his shop so don't worry about Will being unemployed.

Finally, there's the little matter of Hay Lin's grandmother. Rest assured cartoon fans, she is alive in this. … Not that she was actually dead in the comics but I digress.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to leave them in your reviews. If you feel the need to flame this fic, be warned that the next beast just happens to love fire.

Oh and here's something that'll be at the end of every 'aftermath' chapter. A brief little bio of the Beast Character, excluding the Beast.

* * *

**Bastian Balthazar Mendanbar**

**Age:** 14

**Eye Color: **Emerald

**Hair**** Color:** Pale Brown (Semi-Mullet)

**Height: **Six foot zero

**Zodiac Sign:** Leo

**Beast: **Dragon

**Symbol:** The Third Eye

**Represent:** The Sixth Sense

**Primary Power: **Psychic (Telepathy & Telekinesis)

**Secondary Power: **Animation of Non-Electronic Inanimate

**Favorite: **

Color: Red (Same as Will's hair)

Sport: Baseball

Subject: Creative Writing

Pastime: Reading/Writing Fantasy Stories

**Family: **

Father: College Teacher (Literature)

Mother: College Teacher (Biology)

Elder Sister: Maria (Works at Fashion Outrageous)

**Po****pular Ornament:** Bandanna

**Quote:** "I can't say that I'm prepared for whatever fate has in store for me, but I can say that I'm willing to face it head on!"


	4. The Second Release

Me: I forgot to mention, the Beasts, while incomplete, sound like real animals, but when they're complete, they sound like an orchestra of certain musical instruments.

Mewtwo: We noticed.

Poupoko: (Why is that anyway?)

Me: It'll be explained further on in the story.

Bahamut: That's good. Now on to further business.

Me: What business?

Bahamut: The business of you telling us what the Beasts are!

Me: Sigh... I told you already!

Mewtwo: It made no sense!

Me: It's not supposed to! At least not right away...

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**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Four: The Second Release

For the first time in recorded and unrecorded history, the near-godlike being known only as the Oracle of Kandrakar frowned. He was gifted with powers rivaled only by the ancient gods themselves, and one of those powers was known as clairvoyance—the gift of seeing what would be and what may be. This gift, however, seemed unable to see into anything involving the Guardians or the newly awakened Beast and it—his fellows. Each time the Oracle tried to see beyond the here and now, he saw nothing but a plane of white and black.

A plane of Nothing.

However, this Nothing that the Oracle kept seeing did not concern him as much as the Beasts did. The Oracle never thought that the Fang would reemerge nor did he believe the Beasts would escape by joining with the Fang. The Beasts had attacked and nearly killed the Congregation once before, who's to say they wouldn't do so again? Then again… the Beasts thought with nothing but primal instincts and the fierce desire to protect their charges. To be perfectly blunt, they were mindless.

Now it seemed that the Beasts were joining themselves with humans worthy enough to carry on their role and powers. Huanglong already sacrificed his entirety to the boy, Bastian. Who's to say the others would not follow in their leader's example?

"_Huanglong…_" The Oracle sighed and looked out across the great cloudy expanse of Kandrakar. He knew that the Congregation would be furious when they found out about the Jade Emperor's Beasts of the Veil; he didn't even want to think on how they'd react to the knowledge that the Emperor didn't create them. Knowledge of the Beasts was rare, and this tiny fact was known only to a select few.

The Oracle of Kandrakar & the Ancient Gods.

The Jade Emperor was one of those gods and secretly believed that he was doing what was right. By taking beings that already existed and joining them with the Fang of Rakardnak, the Emperor thought he was adding greater power to the defense of the Veil and balancing the power of the Heart. However, though the Emperor's knowledge was great, he never thought of the implications of taking the most powerful beasts to walk on Earth and forcing them to work together, let alone becoming the Yang to the Guardians' Yin. Two of the beasts are destined to fight and kill each other during the Final Days! At least… that's what is _supposed_ to happen. The Oracle could no longer see that far. All he could do was meditate…

And pray.

* * *

_Two days after the First Release…_

Taranee Cook sighed tiredly as she looked about the front courtyard of Sheffield Institute, vainly hoping to find at least one bird. Her photography teacher, Mrs. Orta, had assigned what sounded like a simple project. Take as many pictures of the local wildlife as possible within a week's time. It had already been four days and the only wildlife Taranee had managed to capture was Blunk doing one of his infamous dumpster dives.

"Tweet. Tweet." Taranee quickly glanced up and saw a small orange and black oriole sitting on the branches of a tree, not more than five feet away from her. '_What luck!_' Taranee slowly lifted the camera to her eyes and carefully focused on the twittering oriole. '_Orioles are rare here! Especially during this time of the year!_' Taranee's finger hovered just above the button on her camera and just when she was about to press it…

"No method to the madness and means of escape  
Gonna break every rule I'll bend them all out of shape  
It ain't a question of 'how' just a matter of when  
You get the message that I'm tryin' to send  
I'm under a spell, I'm in over my head  
And you know I'm going all of the way, till the end!""

The oriole took off into the blue sky with a loud twitter, leaving a single feather behind as evidence of it having been there at all. Taranee stared in open-mouthed shock for a moment before she scowled and whirled around to give the idiot who ruined her only shot a piece of her mind only to have said idiot collide into her.

"Whoa!" Taranee's back met dirt as her glasses flew off her face to who-knows-where. Taranee never really told anyone about the small detail that she was blind as a deaf bat without her glasses. "My glasses…" mumbled Taranee as she frantically patted the ground in search of them. A gentle hand on her shoulder stopped her as a voice with a heavy Jamaican accent spoke.

"Here ya go." Taranee closed her eyes as the person lightly set her glasses on her nose. Taranee blinked as the world suddenly came back into focus and she got a good look at the boy who helped her. He appeared around her age and had the most ridiculous smile adorning his dark face. From the way he spoke and how his hair was kept in dreadlocks, much like her brother's except more wild, Taranee was able to guess that he hailed from the Florida Keys, probably from Jamaica. His bright red shirt had a picture of a grinning sun and his cargo-shorts were bright tan. He was wearing sandals on his feet and a strange bead necklace adorned his neck.

"Sorry bout smackin' into ya like dat," said the boy as he rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly, "W'en I'm in me groove I don't tend ta pay attention ta w'at I'm doin'."

"It's… alright…" said Taranee, her face blushing. '_What's wrong with me? A minute ago I wanted to give him a piece of my mind!_'

"Ya smell nice."

"Huh?" Taranee stared at the boy as he stared right back at her with wide, searching eyes.

"Ya smell nice. Like cinnamon and somethin' else… strawberry?" Taranee's blush increased as she shifted uncomfortably even though the boy's eyes were focused up at the sky. Taranee didn't actually were any perfume and any scent she actually had was natural.

"Um… I'm not wearing any perfume or anything…" murmured Taranee embarrassedly. The boy's grin returned with a vengeance.

"Dat's why."

"Huh?" To Taranee, it seemed that her articulation had dropped several points in the past few minutes.

"Ya don't have all dat fake stuff on ya, and ya smell bedder that way." The boy stood and helped Taranee to her feet. "Kinda like how da greenhouse smells now." With a small wave, the boy turned about and walked off into the Institute, humming and dancing to a musical tune. Taranee stared after the boy in silent wonderment. She hadn't really expected that a guy would like her more because she _didn't_ wear makeup. Sighing to herself, Taranee picked up her camera and started heading inside when a thought suddenly struck her.

'_How could he smell something four miles away?_'

* * *

"Taranee? _Helloooo_? Taranee?" Taranee blinked and fell out of her thoughts.

"What?" Irma scoffed and leaned back in the tree across from her friend.

"Geez, first it's Will and now it's you!" Spring was showing its bright colors that afternoon as Sheffield Institute had one of its rare outdoor cafeteria days that the girls, plus Bastian, were enjoying greatly.

"Yeah. Did ya meet your best friend again only to realize that you actually love him more than a best friend should feel about a best friend?" asked Hay Lin, all in one breath. Bastian and Will both blushed slightly while Taranee went full-out red.

"NO! I don't even know his name!" Taranee's eyes widened before she slapped her hands over her mouth, quickly realizing the mistake she had made.

"So it _is_ a boy," said Cornelia, a devious smile appearing on her face. "Care to share?"

"Guys," moaned Taranee, her hands covering her face. "I don't even know his name!"

"Eduardo Fuego," said Bastian before he took a bite out of his apple. The girls all turned to look at him. "What? I share a class with him. Nice guy really. He said something about providing the school with some entertainment…" Suddenly, there was a loud blast of rock n' roll music coming from the wreck the formerly was the school gymnasium. The girls, and Bastian, exchanged looks and followed the crowd of students to see none other than Eduardo, with what could only be called the largest boom box in history resting by his side, dancing like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hey c'mon people!" he called out to the crowd of curious students and shocked teachers. "Don't stop moving! Let's boogie till the break of dawn!" cried Eduardo as he did several complicated maneuvers that definitely wooed the crowd over to his cause. Several were already dancing before he said anything and now all but a few of the crowd were swinging to the beat. Even the teachers were enjoying themselves, impressing the young 'whippersnappers' with their own moves.

One of those few that weren't dancing happened to be Taranee, whom Eduardo spotted quite easily amongst the many scents in the air. Jumping down from his makeshift stage, Eduardo danced his way to her and surprised the shorter girl by taking her hands in his larger ones.

"Dance wit me?" Taranee blushed bright pink, and tried to come up with any kind of excuse that would get her out of this. Looking up, Taranee was about to respond when her chocolate brown eyes met Eduardo's blue ones.

"Yes."

* * *

A strange sort of friendship had formed between them after that. Although Eduardo didn't get in trouble for his little stunt, he had received a warning to talk with Principal Genmu before creating another dance-a-thon. Though a bit saddened by that, Eduardo had immediately brightened up when he realized that he shared his mathematic and art classes with Taranee. Every time the two saw each other, Eduardo would ask if he could share another dance with her, and Taranee would always reply with a firm no. Eduardo would then shrug and smile his wide grin and talk with her about all the stuff that held their interest, most of which seemed near identical to each other's.

Somehow, in one of their talks, Eduardo had asked Taranee if she wanted help finding the local wildlife so she could finish her art assignment. Though she had doubts about his 'help', Taranee agreed and quickly found out that, besides being a musical and mathematical prodigy, Eduardo could find anything. After finding not only a small herd of deer, but three different fox dens, Taranee had dared to ask his secret. Eduardo's reply was short and simple.

"The nose knows."

Recently though, thoughts that hadn't been in her mind since Nigel began to appear once more. Could she see herself dating Eduardo as she did with Nigel? Would it end just as bad? No… she knew that Nigel wasn't the one for her from the start. They could never have gone beyond being anything but friends. With Eduardo… Taranee couldn't really tell. At times she felt like he was the best guy friend a girl could ask for, but then there were times when they came so close to doing something, a gentle hug or kiss, but one of them would back off and quickly talk their way out of it.

And she always wished that those times would end in a different way.

'_Maybe today will be one of those days…_' Today, Taranee and Eduardo were walking past the construction site to meet the others at the community center to play some of the newest sport activities the center now offered. Eduardo had been talking nonstop about a set of drums that had recently caught his eyes, much to his mother's chagrin, when a small group of teenagers all dressed in black hoodies walked up to them from the back alleys.

"Hello Taranee." Taranee stiffened as a cold feeling flew down her spine.

"Hello Nicholas."

"I see that the rumors are true. You have been cheating on my little brother with some backwater hick." Nicholas Ashcroft, known to many as the Black Cat, was the leader of the only gang in all of Heatherfield; Uriah's own was along the level of a kindergarten group in comparison to Nicholas' own. Not only that, but Nicholas was the brother of Nigel Ashcroft and had fierce hatred for Taranee's mother and now Taranee herself. Though the reason why he hated her mother eluded Taranee, she knew that Nicholas was being the immature party concerning her and his brother's break-up.

"Backwata hick? A' least I don't be smellin' like I died, got buried, came back, and died again. Eva hear of soap mon? Does the body good." Eduardo's ever-present grin was still in place, but his blue eyes contained hardness similar to Bastian's own when he had confronted Uriah.

Nicholas' underlings snickered to themselves but quickly quieted under their leader's heated glare. "Enough of this crap. Take care of this idiot while I teach little Taranee here to never break a man's heart like she did with my brother's." Eduardo quickly stepped between Nicholas and Taranee but was punched in the face by one of Nicholas' goons. Eduardo collided with the ground and was down long enough for three of the goons to grab him while the remaining ones carried Taranee off, with Nicholas following behind them, his laughter sending chills down the girl's spine.

Two of Nicholas' goons held him up while the third was idly playing with a large baseball bat. "Nicholas never did say what we couldn't do to the little joker here… What do you think boys? Should I break an arm first or maybe a leg?" Before either of the goons could answer, Taranee's shrill scream echoed from the alleyway as a metallic scent assaulted Eduardo's nose.

The coppery scent of blood.

Blue eyes faded away as fangs replaced human teeth. A feral snarl grew out from Eduardo's throat, causing the two holding him to release their grip and back hastily, both not liking the canine sounds the boy was making. A thin beam of faded gold light ripped down from the sky to impact against the snarling Eduardo, surrounding him in strange white-red energies as everything that made him human disappeared only to be replaced…

By a beast.

"AAARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	5. The Efreet's Howl

Me: I thought I'd remind people that, though I'm no longer of the Darkness (YAWN), that doesn't mean that I'm not bad in my own way. (YAWN)

Bahamut: Shouldn't you be sleeping?

Mewtwo: And spending the night-day-whatever with Camille?

Me: Don't mind if I do! Zzzzzzzzz...

----

Camille: Hello, Sweetheart.

Me: Have I told you how much I love falling asleep?

Camille: (Giggle) Many times.

----

Bahamut: You know, I gotta wonder how his body disappears and reappears like that.

Mewtwo: Who cares? Let's raid his laptop and see if he wrote anything about the Beasts in it! (Teleports away)

Bahamut: (Shrugs and flies out)

Poupoko: (Walks in with My Laptop in his hands.) Chao?

**

* * *

**

**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

**

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Five: The Efreet's Howl

The beast was furious; these mortal scums had harmed _his Guardian_! He would not allow them to escape his wrath unscathed, even into death. Though that did not mean the beast would not kill them after he had caused the blood in their veins to flow like crimson rivers. The beast growled angrily as he slowly stalked towards the mortals on his two shaking legs, still unused to his incomplete form.

With a feral snarl, the beast charged forward and grabbed two of the humans by the neck before slamming through the brick wall of the alleyway. Smoke drifted up in lazy circles from the beast's nose as heated saliva dripped down from canines sharper than steel daggers. The two humans, while in great pain, had enough wits about them to realize that they were in deep trouble. The beast opened his maw and prepared to rip apart the single artery that would bleed the most when the third human surprised him by attempting to attack him with thick wooden stick.

The beast's snarl reached knew multitudes as he turned his antlered head to glare with pupil-less eyes at the human. A small spark of fire leapt from the beast's mouth, gliding idly across the air before touching the human's weapon and igniting it. The human screamed its fear and backed away from the beast as he steadily drew nearer. In its mad desire to escape from the beast's wrath, the human threw the still burning stick past the other two and screamed a single word that set the other two running, though not without the gimp that a broken limb often causes.

The beast snorted in confusion, something else had terrified the humans more than he and he couldn't identify what it was exactly. The beast sniffed the air and caught a strange scent that caused the blazing red hairs on his neck to bristle. The beast turned to where the human had thrown its burning weapon and watched with idle curiosity as the sparks ignited the strange smelling water. The beast's eyes widened at the awareness that there were several curved rocks of the burning water surrounding it.

The beast only had enough time to howl as the building exploded in a blast of fire.

* * *

'_Where… Where am I…?_' There was nothing around him, no sound, no light, nothing to help Eduardo figure out where the heck he was. A strange blackness had surrounded the music-obsessed teen and he could not see or feel anything. Suddenly, pain unlike anything Eduardo had ever felt shot through him and reminded him of the events that had transpired that happened before and after the strange light had touch him. Though Eduardo was both shocked and horrified by his almost lycanthropic transformation and what his body had done, one thought overrode his own feelings about himself.

'_TARANEE!_'

* * *

Eduardo groaned and shook his antlered head. Standing, the now seven-foot tall Eduardo looked around him and was surprised and thankful that the explosion had only hit the condemned building he had been in and that, for some arcane reason, the flames didn't harm him. Looking up at the sun, Eduardo was shocked to see that it was already past noon meaning several hours had passed since Nicholas had kidnapped Taranee. The smell of her blood still hovered in his nostrils, but Eduardo refused to believe that Nicholas had the guts to actually kill Taranee, but he couldn't waste time hoping for something that may or may not have happened. He had to find Taranee.

But how? Her scent was overshadowed by the smoke and ash that the building still spewed into the air and Eduardo had nothing that belonged to her. Growling in frustration, Eduardo stalked away from wreckage, using the shadows of the alleyways to provide cover for his now monstrous body. '_I need help._' Eduardo glanced up at the sun. '_I need… my friends…_'

* * *

Bastian sighed tiredly as he hugged Will to him. He and the others had grown concerned at Taranee and Eduardo's absence and had decided to give their parents a call. While Eduardo's mother was at work, Taranee's was at home with Irma's father as well as nearly all the police-force.

Taranee had been kidnapped.

The girls, plus Bastian, had immediately begun a search of the city, the girls via Guardian form, and Bastian with his psychic powers. Bastian knew of Taranee's telepathic abilities and had thought that finding her would be easy. However, after several psychic scans across the city, Bastian came to the cold conclusion that Taranee must be unconscious or… He didn't want to go there. He returned to the Silver Dragon and waited with Yan Lin and Blunk for the girls to arrive. Though the small smuggler from Meridian was annoying, and stinky, most of the time, Bastian and Yan Lin were glad of his antics that served to keep their minds clear of any unwanted thoughts.

When the girls had returned with identical sad expressions, Bastian knew that their search was fruitless and was immediately saddened by the desperate looks they had given him as they asked desperately if he had found her. He wanted to lie, to say that he had contacted her and she was safe, that she couldn't tell him where she was, but he knew that the girls deserved the truth. The tears that came were enough to break anyone's heart.

So here they were, sitting in the back room of Hay Lin's restaurant, all in their own versions of worry. Bastian and Will were perhaps the luckiest for they had each other to help support them while the girls only had themselves and their thoughts. Irma was trying desperately to keep the situation light by telling some of her funny stories about past events, but she would always reach a part where Taranee was involved and the story would dissolve away. Hay Lin was trying to maintain her cool as she helped serve customers alongside Cornelia but the two would always have to step out for a breath of air that they desperately needed.

Bastian sighed and gave Will's shoulder a firm squeeze when he felt a familiarly strange trembling from the medallion adorning his neck. He had felt this trembling before, at the community center, but had passed it off as nothing more than déjà vu. Now the Fang of Rakardnak was reacting to something once again. Something that was quickly gaining ground to them.

"Will, get the others." Will looked up at Bastian in confusion but once she saw his hand gripping the Fang, she quickly stood and called the other girls. Bastian cautiously moved towards the door that led out into the alleyway behind the Silver Dragon as the girls gathered behind him. Bastian opened the door to come face-to-chest with what could only be called a werewolf.

* * *

Eduardo stared down at Bastian and tried desperately to speak but no words would come, only barks and faint growls. Eduardo quickly realized this as Bastian and the girls started backing away from him, their scents positively reeking of fear. Eduardo snarled angrily, this was pointless! He needed just one tiny thing to help him find Taranee and he couldn't even ask for that with his voice sounding like a rabid dog! Suddenly, the scent of cinnamon and strawberries reached Eduardo's nose alongside the copper smell of blood.

Whirling about, Eduardo charged out of the alleyway to see a large black car drive past, carrying Taranee's scent alongside Nicholas'. Eduardo growled and took off after the car, dodging and jumping over other cars.

'_I'm coming Taranee! Just hold on a little longer!_'

* * *

"We gotta go after them." Bastian turned to face the girls. "He's on our side but he's not complete. If another of those shadow-things appear, Eduardo won't stand a chance."

"That thing was Eduardo!" exclaimed a shocked Cornelia.

"How? I thought you said that the Fang didn't react to him!" said Irma, pointing an accusing finger at Bastian.

"I said I don't know how to work the thing and I wouldn't know if my second cousin was like me!" exclaimed an exasperated Bastian.

"That fact aside, how are we going to chase them? None of us can drive. … Unless you want to go all draconic!" Hay Lin said, a sparkle of interest entering her eye.

"Too risky. It's bad enough that we got a werewolf chasing after a car in broad daylight, how do you think people will react to a dragon? No offense, Bastian," said Will.

"None taken." Bastian glanced at the dumpster that leaned against the opposite wall of the alley. An idea suddenly sparked inside Bastian's mind. An idea that the girls would all agree was pure insanity only after the idea had already been done. Bastian silently hoped that Cornelia's clothes were, for once, machine washable otherwise he was gonna get an earful later. "I say we take a page out of Blunk's book."

"Blunk have book?" asked the green-skinned smuggler.

"What do you mean?" asked Cornelia before she looked to see what Bastian was looking at. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no! There is no way I'm getting in that thing! Not in a million years!"

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" shrieked Cornelia as she struggled to keep her grip on the speeding, and now living, dumpster. Bastian had revealed to the girls that he too had a second ability that wasn't fully tied to his base powers. That ability was to bring any non-electric object to life as he had proved with the dumpster. The dumpster turned out to have a British Huntsman's attitude and would not listen to their request until Irma had tricked it into thinking that Eduardo was the hunting dog and that Taranee was the fox. When asked, Irma merely replied that it was Eduardo's nickname for Taranee whenever the girl was out of earshot.

"Tally ho!" shouted the dumpster as it turned a hard right. While most of them were screaming out of fear, Hay Lin was screaming out of pure excitement and was having the time of her life.

"This is totally awesome!"

* * *

Eduardo skidded to a stop just outside the groundwork of the Heatherfield Bridge, and looked down at his feet in confusion. He had not wanted to stop but, somehow, his body had stopped on its own accord and was now making him back away from the bridge. A strange sensation touched Eduardo's mind, an unknown presence making contact with him through the only way it knew how. Strong memories taken from an ancient mind assaulted Eduardo's brain. Scents of fresh and salt water, the smell of smoking flesh as water crashed in the background, and the rotten stink of death as bones fell away into the ocean waves.

(_Does dis mean I'll die if I be touchin' de water?_) asked Eduardo, not really expecting a spoken answer from The Presence. The memories, even greater in detail, played through his mind, affirming that Eduardo would indeed die if he fell into the water beneath the bridge.

(_… Que sera-sera and hakuna matata, mon. Whatever will be, will be and no worries. I made a promise wit Taranee. I'll dance one las' dance wit her or die tryin'._) The Presence broadcasted its confusion, though it was glad of the response from Eduardo. Why risk his life for someone he's known only for a few suns? The smell of spring and a haunting call among a moonlit night. The feeling of running beside someone, feeling the wind rush past, flowed through Eduardo's mind, The Presence's unique way of asking its question.

(_Cause life is a gift worth protectin'._) The Presence seemed to disappear for a moment, as though thinking over Eduardo's words before it decided to follow in its leader's footsteps and speak its first and final word.

(**DEFEND.**)

Another beam of light flew through the air, this one being entirely red and much thicker than the previous one, and impacted against Eduardo, encompassing him in an orb of red as a strange arcane symbol glowed across its glassy surface.

* * *

Taranee gripped her right shoulder painfully as she glared heatedly at the smug Nicholas. He had taken out a large switch-blade and had cut into her shoulder to prove his seriousness to her. The flunky had fled earlier on, knowing full well that doing something like that would incur the wrath of Taranee's mother, a judge, and her father, a lawyer, let alone her entire group of friend whose grapevines have been filled with some pretty freaky stuff.

It didn't matter to Nicholas; he simply made her get into his car and had tied her hands down to the armrests so she wouldn't try anything. After he had left the ransom note in Taranee's mailbox, he had quickly driven off towards the nearest town. Both teens were completely unaware of the lycanthropic beast chasing after them until the point when they were halfway across the Heatherfield Bridge where Nicholas had to slam the brakes lest he collide with what he could only call the biggest bloody dog he'd ever seen.

Taranee felt both relief and fear at the sight of the creature that stood before them. Taranee had taken Mythological Studies and knew of nearly every mythological creature in existence and, as near as she could tell, this beast was an efreet. His body, though easily twice the size of the car, was canine in nature though he had a growth of stag-like antlers adorning his head. The Efreet's snout was huge in comparison to most dogs or wolves and its fur seemed more akin to fire than normal hair. But the one thing that really stood out was the Efreet's pure blue eyes.

The Efreet's _human_ eyes.

Whatever fear Taranee felt disappeared. She knew that, whoever this Efreet was, he was there to help her. Nicholas, meanwhile, was glaring at the Efreet with inhuman hatred written across his face. A spark of black energy danced behind the gang leader's eyes as he slammed his foot down on the gas pedal, shooting the car forward.

The Efreet quickly dodged to the side, his great antlers tearing off both doors on the car's right side. Nicholas snarled angrily, and turned the car about in a sharp u-turn, nearly throwing Taranee out. The Efreet snarled and ran forward, his head bowed low. However, just seconds before either of them could collide, the Efreet dodged to the right once more, seemingly doing no damage this time around. The Efreet kept moving and rebounded off the cables of the bridge before giving chase after the car. Nicholas did another sharp u-turn, unknowingly aiding the Efreet as the force of the turn snap the already cut bindings holding Taranee to her seat.

Taranee had only begun to scream when she felt soft fur instead of hard pavement beneath her. Opening her eyes, Taranee looked down to see that she had landed against the Efreet's side with enough force to cause no injury to either of them. The Efreet sniffed her face before he smiled a wide toothy grin.

BANG. BANGBANGBANG.

The Efreet howled a long cry that sounded of broken trumpets as the steel bullets ripped their way through his back. The Efreet raised his head and looked over his bleeding shoulder to see Nicholas standing out of his car, a gun in his hand as black energy sparked around him. A feline hiss escaped from the older teen's mouth that sent chills through Taranee's spine though she did not know why. The Efreet knew for though he knew not why or how, he was able to understand the words behind Nicholas' suddenly strange behavior.

"_ReTuRn To ThE nOtHiNg._"

BANG.

The Efreet's eyes closed on their own accord as he shoved himself forward, shielding Taranee with his body. However, no pain was felt and the Efreet thought, for a brief moment, that he had died but soon realized the truth once he opened his eyes. The bullet was glowing bright magenta and was hovering before the Efreet's nose before it fell to the ground with a quiet clink.

The smell of jade and old books drifted through the air and the Efreet turned to see Bastian standing beside the girls, his hand outstretched and the Fang glowing brightly. The Fang's golden light flashed brightly before fading back to its ordinary sheen. The Efreet blinked against the brightness of the light but upon realizing what the light had done, grinned and laughed a harsh barking laugh as he stood to his feet, his wounds completely healed and his body filled with renewed energy.

(**_Time ta party, mon!_**) Though he spoke in the same manner as Bastian had; only those gifted with the art of telepathy heard the Efreet's words, and only one could smile since the other had gone into a state of shock at hearing the Efreet's voice. Before any questions or exclamations could be made, Nicholas screamed in utter agony as black fur grew along his body and his once human hands altered into twisted versions of the gun he had used against the Efreet.

Nekolas hissed painful before turning amber eyes upon the snarling Efreet. Before Nekolas could react, the Efreet charged at him, his fangs gleaming in the sun's light. Sharp fangs met hard steel as the Efreet began to grapple with Nekolas, being careful to keep the shadow-creature's gunarms trapped in his mouth. Nekolas growled angrily before delivering a fierce kick into the Efreet's neck, startling the beast long enough to get his gunarms loose.

Nekolas took aim and fired, only for his necro-bullet to graze one of the bridge's suspension cables. Meowing in confusion, Nekolas carefully looked around only to be slammed to the ground from behind. The Efreet barked once before disappearing from sight, only to reappear atop one of the bridge's towers, the scent of sulphur accompanying his sudden reappearance. The Efreet laughed his harsh bark of a laugh as Nekolas ground his needle-like teeth in frustration.

He had not expected the Efreet to gain further awareness of his powers, and the sun was too high up for Nekolas to begin hoping for a sudden advantage. He had no choice but to obey his master's command to the fullest and try to kill the beast, even if it meant his own death. Nekolas raised his gunarms upwards and fired a hailstorm of bullets at the Efreet, only to miss once again as the beast teleported to the next tower. Nekolas and the Efreet continued with this attack pattern for quite some time with Nekolas growing more and more frustrated at the lack of success until, finally, Nekolas could take no more and chose a new method of attack.

Nekolas whirled about and fired both his gunarms, not even bothering to aim, in the direction of Taranee and the others. Before the bullet casings could even taste the air, the Efreet teleported before Nekolas and chomped down on his gunarms with enough force to shatter them into dust. Yowling in pain, Nekolas backed away from the Efreet as the beast's antlers began to heat up. Tilting back his head, the Efreet howled a loud orchestra of trumpets before lowering his head so that his burning antlers were held between him and Nekolas.

Nekolas had only enough time to scream out words that only the Efreet could comprehend even as he impaled his antlers into the shadow-creature, turning it into ash instantly. After he shook the ash off his face, the Efreet turned to face the stunned group of girls and the grim-looking boy accompanying them. The Efreet sighed a soft note and stepped forward as his body was enshrouded by thick black smoke. A small gust of wind blew the smoke and the form of the Efreet away, leaving only the human boy known as Eduardo in its wake.

Eduardo's ubiquitous smile was still in place, though it looked as grim as Bastian's own. He stepped up to Taranee and was about to speak when the dark-skinned girl's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell to the ground. Eduardo quickly reached out and grabbed Taranee and carefully set her down.

"Taranee? TARANEE?" Eduardo looked at Taranee's right shoulder, the one that Nekolas had slashed earlier, and ripped open the dress to see the wound. Not only was it still bleeding fresh blood, it was oozing a strange puss that sent shivers down everyone's spines. Eduardo quickly glanced back at Taranee's pale face only to have his own blanch as well. Taranee's shirt was wet just below where her lungs and heart were and was growing wetter by the second. Eduardo realized with cold dread that one of Nekolas' attacks had hit its mark.

Taranee had been shot.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	6. Hospital Soap Box

Me: YAAAAWN... That was a excellent sleep! Hmm... wonder where my muses got to? Oh well, guess that mean more-(Spots what suspicously looks like a key for a laptop keyboard)

----

Bahamut: Hurry it up, Mewtwo!

Mewtwo: I'm trying blast it! I'm a psychic, not a technician.

Poupoko: (It's your own fault for trying to take it without permission.)

Bahamut: You were the one holding on to it!

Poupoko: (But _I_ had permission.)

Bahamut: Grrrr-Just hurry it up before Corvus-

Me: GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR! (Stomps into room in Liung form)

Bahamut: Finds out...**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER.

* * *

**

B.E.A.S.T.

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. 

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Six: Hospital Soap Box

"Damn it! That bullet's too strong!"

"We're losing her!"

"We're not strong enough! Even with the Fang, there aren't enough of us for the Heart!"

"That doesn't matter! We gotta keep goin'! We gotta save Taranee!"

Ba-dum… Ba-dum… ba-dum…… ba-dum…… ba-dum……… ba-

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

"TARANEE!"

* * *

Eduardo glared down at the hospital floor, as if it was the cause of all his problems. Beside him, the girls and Bastian were sitting in complete silence except for the occasional drip of a tear and the softest of sighs. After Taranee's collapse, Cornelia had called an ambulance while Irma called Taranee's family. Bastian was trying to keep Will and Hay Lin calm since both had nearly gone into a state of shock. During all this Eduardo stayed kneeling by Taranee's side, her hand held in his own as he wept, silently murmuring apologies until the ambulance had arrived and taken her to the hospital.

The girls had already notified their parents and were waiting for them to take them to the hospital, which was on the opposite side of the city. Bastian had done the same and had told his father of the extra passenger coming along. Eduardo was in no state to stand on his own two feet, let alone call his family. As he waited for his father to arrive, Bastian walked over to stand beside Eduardo.

"C'mon Eduardo… My dad's giving us a lift to the hospital." Eduardo remained staring at the cold tar of the street. "Don't you want to see Taranee when she wakes up?" Bastian had his doubts about Taranee waking soon, but he didn't want to give any thought to them let alone speak them.

"How… how can I be lookin' her in de eye…? Afta what I did?" whispered Eduardo.

"What do you mean? You saved her man." Eduardo shook his head, his bead necklace rattling.

"No I didn't… If I wasn't foolin' aroun' wit dat-dat _thing_… she wouldn't 'ave been shot…"

"No, she would have been eaten." Eduardo's eyes widened and he looked up to stare into Bastian's eyes, which now had a jade-like sheen to them.

"W'at?"

"That thing… I don't know what they're called but I know what they do. They take human bodies and convert them to their will, and use those bodies to eat and absorb other humans. The one you fought was different though… It had no host and would most likely have taken Taranee if you hadn't arrived… my friend." The Fang of Rakardnak floated through Bastian's shirt and hovered before the stunned Eduardo before falling back into its mundane state.

"Dat charm… I saw that 'efore… in me dreams…"

"For the last two years?"

"Yeah." Bastian looked over his shoulder to see that his father's car had arrived, and that the girls had already gone.

"C'mon… it's a story that'll have to wait. We got a friend to see."

* * *

When Eduardo and Bastian had arrived, the two immediately ran for the clerk's desk while Bastian's father parked the car. Once the clerk had directed them to the waiting area on the second floor, Bastian and Eduardo all but flew down the hallways and up the stairs until they arrived in the waiting area where the girls, their family, and Taranee's family stood waiting as Taranee underwent red-level surgery. Through some unspoken agreement, the adults had decided to give their kids some space until they were specifically asked for by them. However, that did not stop the occasional glance from Bastian's father and Will's mother at how comfortable the two looked in each other's arms.

Bastian sighed and gave Will's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he idly glanced over towards Taranee's family before looking over at Eduardo, whose eyes refused to leave the linoleum floor of the hospital. He needed to speak with his friend and the others now before Taranee came out of the emergency room lest they all fall into depths of depression that would only alleviate during Taranee's healthy return to them.

(_Will…_) Will's eyes snapped open and her eyes darted around the room before focusing into Bastian's.

(_Bastian?_)

(_Yeah… Listen, we gotta talk. All of us, including Eduardo. He's killing himself over this, Will. He's as confused by all this as I was and still am. He needs to know what's going on._)

Will stared into Bastian's eyes before her own narrowed accusingly. (_That's not the only reason is it?_)

(_No. You and the others to need to focus on something besides Taranee so it might as well be something beneficial to us all._)

(Sigh… _Alright. But how are we going to talk with our parents hovering around us?_) Bastian stared into Will's eyes, raising an eyebrow. She blushed bright pink and looked down at the floor. (_Oh. Right._) Bastian smiled and kissed her warm cheek.

(_You're cute when you blush like that._) This of course had Will's face turning a deeper shade, which made Bastian chuckle a bit before he focused on the others. (_Don't move and don't speak. I've set up a telepathic link between us so that we can talk without the adults listening in on us._)

(_HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME?_) Bastian winced and shot a glare at Hay Lin.

(_Hay Lin, could you please not do that again? The link exists already so you don't have to 'shout'. Just speak as you would think words in your head._)

(_Oops. Sorry._)

(_Forget about it. Now, I don't know about the rest of you girls, but I'm a little confused. Care to fill in the blanks, Eduardo?_) Eduardo wearily looked up from the tile that he had been staring at for over five minutes now.

(_W'at?_) Even Eduardo's thoughts were heavily accented.

(_Mind telling us how long you've had that nose of yours?_)

(_I don't know w'at yer talkin' about._)

(_Eduardo, we all saw you change back, and I specifically heard your voice from within your Beast._) Bastian's eyes burrowed into Eduardo's own. (_How long have you been this way, Eduardo?_)

(… _Two years, give or take… Me nose was de firs' sign somethin' was up wit' me. I could smell stuff dat was miles away… recognize dings from de scents dey gave off… I could even read people's emotions by their scent._)

(_So you're some sort of bloodhound?_) Irma asked. Eduardo shot her an offended glare.

(_I prefer bein' called a wolf, if anyt'ing._) Sighing, Eduardo's eyes drifted back down towards the floor. (_It wasn't 'til I moved here dat I turned inta dat thing._)

(_You saved Taranee by becoming that 'thing'._) Bastian reminded Eduardo, who merely sighed in response.

(_No… I was no betta than da thing dat shot her._) Before any of the other's could respond, a doctor stepped out of the emergency room and made his way over to Taranee's family.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cook?" asked the doctor, his German accent nearly as heavy as Eduardo's Jamaican one.

"Yes?" said Mr. Cook, already standing on his feet, his wife and son joining him in an eye-blink's time.

"I'm Dr. Meestrom and I'm afraid that I have some bad news…" Mrs. Cook choked back a sob behind her hands as her son, Peter, slouched against a wall. "Ve managed to stop the bleeding but ve… can't get the bullet out. I don't know how, but the bullet seems to have burrowed its vay into your daughter's spinal chord…"

Mr. Cook's face blanched as he asked, "And?"

"Und…" Dr. Meestrom sighed. "It's still moving. Even if the bullet should pass her nerve chord, it vill puncture the main artery und then… there's nothing ve can do to stop that kind of bleeding… I'm sorry. I know it feels terrible to loose a child-" Whatever Dr. Meestrom had to say was cut off by Mrs. Cook's hard slap to his face, which sent his glasses flying.

"How dare you say such a thing! I don't care if you've seen a thousand children die, you know nothing when it's your own child!" Dr. Meestrom's pain filled eyes darkened before he turned his back to Mrs. Cook and began to walk back into the emergency room but stopped just before the doors.

"I lost my youngest son, Mrs. Cook, and am lucky to still have my first." Dr. Meestrom sighed and looked back over at the Cook family, his eyes wet with tears. "You're daughter has been moved to the third floor in the vest ving. Say vhatever she needs to hear, not what you vant to say."

* * *

Eduardo slouched against the wall opposite of the door to Taranee's room, his eyes never leaving the door handle. The nurse refused to allow more than six people in the room and had nearly refused Eduardo and the others entirely until she learned of Mrs. Cook's occupation as well as her husband's. The nurse was quick to change her tune, but not enough to allow the family to be joined by Taranee's friends, so here they were. Standing in front of the door that stood between them and seeing their friend. Their moods had darkened to match the moonless night sky. Hay Lin was depressed to the point that she was sitting on the floor beside Irma, crying her eyes out. Bastian's own eyes were wet with tears as he felt his girlfriend's despair through the special link they had shared for two years. He tried to comfort her as best as he could but there was only so much that he could do.

Suddenly, the door opened and the Cook family slowly stepped out. Mr. Cook looked first at the girls then at the two boys, or to be more specific, Eduardo. "You can go in now." The words had barely left the older man's mouth before Eduardo all but teleported inside the room. Kneeling beside Taranee on her injured side, Eduardo carefully grasped her hand, which was free of any form of needles or other such medical requirements. The others slowly walked in and stood around the prone girl's bed.

"She looks so peaceful…" Cornelia whispered in the near silent room. Eduardo was mumbling something in Spanish so quietly that the only way one could actually tell that he was talking was the fact that his lips were moving.

"(I'm so sorry, Taranee. I should have ended the fight as soon as it started, or something! I shouldn't have been an idiot…)" Eduardo paused for a moment before looking up at Taranee's glasses-free face. "(You gotta make it, Taranee. You promised me a dance, remember? I know you're not the kinda girl to go back on her promise. You gotta get better. You just gotta…)" Eduardo shuddered and sighed faintly when a cold feeling shot through his heart. An infamous smell had hit Eduardo's nose like a ton of bricks in the heavily cleaned hospital room.

Eduardo quickly stood and started to rip the cloth of Taranee's medical gown that covered the bullet wound given to her by Nekolas. Of course, the girls began to immediately protest against his action, but once the cloth had been torn enough for them to see what had Eduardo acting like a pervert. The once milky white bandage covering Taranee's torso was completely soaked crimson.

Taranee's wound had reopened.

"Oh my god, someone get a doctor, nurse, SOMETHING!" Cornelia yelled. Irma grabbed the nurse-call remote and was about to push the button when Bastian grabbed her wrist.

"Wait."

"We can't 'wait'! Taranee's wound has reopened in case you didn't notice!"

"There's something wrong about all this…" Bastian's eyes were unfocused as he stared at Taranee's red bandage. "Will, don't you feel it?" Will's own eyes were as focused as Bastian's own.

"What _is _that?" murmured Will. "It doesn't feel like regular magic…"

"Because it's _not_ magic. Not the kind you're use to anyway." Bastian's eyes lost their glazed look as he focused them on Eduardo. "Where did the bullet hit?" Grim-faced, Eduardo pointed above Taranee's right thigh.

"'Bout dere." Will and Bastian both frowned and looked at each other.

"The bullet is nowhere near there," said Bastian.

"It's like Dr. Meestrom said, the bullet is moving on its own." Will said.

"But how? It's just an ordinary bullet isn't it?" asked Hay Lin.

"Consider what shot it, Hay Lin," said Irma, "I bet that thing is covered in magic. Isn't it, Will?"

"Yeah, but it's nothing that I've ever sensed before," said Will, shivering, "It's so… black."

"It's more than that," said Bastian, his eyes glazed and unfocused once more, "It's necromancy."

"Necromancy? What's that?" asked Cornelia.

"It's a type of magic that focuses on a specific element. Geomancy, for example, is magic that focuses on relying on the earth, like what you do Cornelia. Necromancy though… It's the magic of the dead."

"The dead!"

"Yes. There are many different ways one can use necromancy and, from what I can sense, I think that shadow-creature's bullet is changing Taranee from the inside out. It'll pierce her main artery and ride her blood to her heart where it will…"

"It will w'at, Bastian?" asked Eduardo, silently dreading the answer.

"Sigh. It'll kill her and resurrect her… as a zombie." Gasps and cries of horror echoed around Bastian.

"We gotta do somethin'!" exclaimed Eduardo. "Can't one of ya do some o' dat hocus-pocus and get de bullet out?" Irma shot him a glare.

"Sure, while I'm at it, do you want a black cat, or maybe a broomstick up your-"

"Now is NOT the time to argue!" Will shot a reproachful look at Irma before turning to Eduardo. "None of us have that kind of power, Eduardo."

"Not by yourselves anyway…" murmured Bastian, a wicked light entering his eyes. The girls, plus Eduardo, all turned to face him. "Remember when I fought against that mother f-… ahem, Uriah? How badly I was injured? The Heart wasn't enough by itself but combined with the Fang…"

"You were as good as new!" exclaimed Will, a hopeful smile on her face that soon disappeared when she thought over on how the Heart had reacted. "But I don't know if I can do it again… It was just… instinct…"

"Instinct is what I do best, dear heart," said Bastian, a reassuring smile adorning his face. "We gotta try it, for Taranee."

"For Taranee."

* * *

Which was how Eduardo found himself standing off to the side as the girls stood in a half circle around Taranee's bed with Bastian standing behind Will, both holding their respected medallions before them. The Fang and Heart slowly began to pulse with light before they began to hover in their users' palms. Their light began to increase until the entire room was a washed with it and the only shadows that remained was the one hiding within Taranee's body. The light began to brighten as strange music began to play in the air. Taranee's body began to glow as well when the hidden orchestra suddenly screeched to a halt as the heart monitor beside Taranee's bed began to beep erratically. The light from the medallions began to flicker as the girls and Bastian struggled to keep it under control, speaking words that Eduardo did not choose to hear as he stared at Taranee's pain filled face.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

"TARANEE!" Eduardo teleported past the girl's and Bastian, straight into the focus point of the Heart and Fang's power. The scent of the bullet was overpowering and Eduardo struggled to keep conscious even as his body warped and changed, absorbing the Fang's light and the Heart's Power. There was a brief second where Eduardo was completely gone from existence before the great and powerful Efreet stood in his place. The others backed away but kept struggling with the power as Eduardo quivered from the same flow of power that Bastian had experienced before as a dragon. Small orbs of fire began to dance in a slow circle around the room as ancient voices chanted forgotten words. Eduardo kneeled his head down as fire began to enshroud his deer-like antlers.

Fire as white as the sun's own.

Eduardo tilted back his head and howled an orchestra of horned instruments in accompaniment with the ancient voices' chant until the entire city could feel the deep and primordial rhythm beating through it. But it wasn't enough. Eduardo needed more than his own power combined with the Heart's; he needed Bastian's and the Fang's.

Bastian, sensing his friend's need through the Fang, allowed the power of the Heart to encompass him as well, changing into the Dragon in the same manner as Eduardo. Spreading rainbow-colored wings that just barely touched the walls of the large hospital room, Bastian roared a symphony of gongs and other metallic instruments to accompany his friend's. The white fire covering Eduardo's antlers brightened and increased in size until; ultimately, it exploded outwards in an explosion greater than the most powerful of bombs. The fire burned its way into all that it touched, destroying anything that threatened life's delicate thread and healing those whom many thought to be lost.

Including Taranee.

However, even as the white fire died away into the night, the power of the Fang and Heart still fed into Bastian to the point that he could no longer contain it and released it in a similar way that he had before. Bright beams of light burst forth from Bastian's fang-lined maw, flying around the room in a tight-knit circle until they followed the white fire's example and exploded outward. Time itself stood in place and for a single solitary moment, everything in the known universe had stopped. However, this moment did not last long and time began to follow its regular course.

In reverse.

* * *

Eduardo blinked against the bright morning light of the sun and struggled to figure out where the heck he was when he caught sight of a very familiar person.

"Taranee?" The girl in question was kneeling on the ground with a camera in her hands, exactly as she had been when he first stumbled into her. Taranee looked over her shoulder and saw Eduardo, her eyes widening to a size almost as similar as his own.

"Eduardo? What happened…? I was… and you were…"

"I… I don't know…" stuttered Eduardo as he stared at Taranee. He continued to stare until he couldn't help himself any longer and jumped at her, embracing her in a tight and unyielding hug.

"Aah! Ed-Eduardo!"

"You're okay! You're safe! Oh t'ank god…" Eduardo cried small tears as he hugged Taranee to him. "I'm sorry, Taranee. If I 'adn't been foolin' around wit' dat monster den ya wouldn't 'ave–I'm sorry!"

"I-It's okay, Eduardo… It wasn't your fault…"

"But I nearly got ya killed!" exclaimed Eduardo, totally oblivious to the confused looks he and Taranee were getting from their schoolmates and the amused ones their friends had. "How can ya jus' forgive me like dat?"

Taranee smiled and hugged Eduardo back, a small blush appearing on her face. "Because you're my friend, Eduardo."

Eduardo's smile, which had been absent for what seemed like years, returned with a vengeance. "Really?"

"Really, really." Eduardo and Taranee smiled at each other before a polite cough interrupted their tender moment.

"As much as this is a tender moment, we got classes to get to. … And redo…" Bastian smirked as Eduardo and Taranee scurried apart from each other and quickly stood and gathered their backpacks. Shaking his head at the two, Bastian turned and walked with Will and the others up to the school as they asked him exactly why it was that they had to retake the entire previous week of school all over again. Eduardo and Taranee began to walk after them, both silently thinking about the events that had transpired.

"... Taranee…?"

"Hmm?"

"How 'bout dat dance?"

"… After lunch." Taranee stood on her toes and gave Eduardo's cheek a quick kiss before racing off after the others, leaving a stunned Eduardo standing before the entrance doors. Eduardo blinked a few times before leaping into the air with an excited shout.

"BOOYAH!"

* * *

"Your creature has failed, Nekonari." A faint purring came from the branches of the tree that the oriole had once sat in.

"Of course it did, Lekraxe. Nyao. I am no fool like Rachano, I wouldn't waste one of my strongest kat-wraiths on a lost cause. I knew the Herald would easily destroy any of my darlings."

"Then why send any at all? Why hunt what you can't kill?"

"Because, my dear, I merely wished to test the limits of the Beasts' powers. So far the First and the Herald are only able to access theirs fully when accompanied by the Heart."

"So that means…"

"That we can kill them when they are separated. Nyao!" The voice in the tree purred loudly as the other began to chuckle darkly.

"I must go tell the others of this." The sound of steel meeting steel ripped through the windless air.

"You will do no such thing, Lekraxe."

"Why not?"

"_Think about it_. Yinodo wants to prove that His Highness' power will aid us by doing what she does best with the next Beast. This leaves the strongest ones left to you, my big strong hunter."

"Yes… The Fourth shall prove to be good prey once again won't it?"

"It will indeed honey. It will indeed…"

* * *

_Fenrir_

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**Eduardo Cantante Fuego **

**Age:** 13

**Eye Color: **Bright Blue

**Hair**** Col****or: **Black (Dreadlocks)

**Height: **Five Foot Six

**Zodiac Sign:** Aries

**Beast: **Efreet

**Symbol:** Triangle with tip pointed down and line through its middle

**Represent:** Fourth Sense

**Primary Power: **Hyper-Advanced Sense of Smell

**Secondary Power:** Teleportation

**Favorite: **

Color: Fire Red

Sport: Basketball

Subject: Music/Math

Pastime: Dancing/Cooking

**Family:**

Father: Divorced (Ex-Thief)

Mother: Cop (Canine Unit)

**Po****pular Ornament: **Bead Necklace, Music Device (CD Player, iPod, etc.)

**Quote:** "Hakuna matata and que sera sera, mon. No worries cause w'ateva will be, will be."


	7. The Third Release

Bahamut: Now Corvus (Ducks beam-attack) Let's not lose our head here!

Me: (In Liung form) **_LOSE OUR HEAD? YOU BROKE MY LAPTOP!_**

Mewtwo: And we're trying to fix it!

Poupoko: (Trying being the key-word here...)

Bahamut: See, look! Just some elbow grease.

Mewtwo: Elbow grease. (Hands Bahamut a jar of elbow grease)

Bahamut: Chocobo feathers.

Mewtwo: Chocobo feathers (Hands Bahamut a packet of Chocobo feathers)

Poupoko: (Mustard!) (Hands Bahamut a jar of mustard.)

Bahamut: Oh yes mustard! That'll do... Mustard? Don't let's be silly. Now lemon, that's different...

Laptop slowly turns on shortly before exploding in a display of fireworks.

Me: **_... Run._**

Muses: (Run away with Me hot on their tails)

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

**

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Seven: The Third Release

The Congregation was becoming aware of the Beasts, or rather, the power behind the Beasts. The Fang was nigh undetectable by the Congregation, being the Yang to the Heart's Yin after all, but the Beast's individual powers that remained with them… They were of a separate magic, far more ancient than any of the Congregation including the Oracle, and were near the powers of the gods. Huanglong had already brought far too much attention towards Earth by messing around with what was thought to be unbendable since its birth.

Time.

Then Fenrir… Fenrir went and called forth the white fires that even Heaven's highest angels had trouble touching, let alone controlling. Never in the history of the white fire's existence had any of it been used in such large amounts, not even during the Forgotten War. To say that the Gods of Asgard were mad would be the multiverse's biggest understatement. To have one whom they have called an enemy since his birth capable of controlling something so pure that they themselves could not compare to did nothing for their sense of pride.

Though the ancients of China, those that deemed their time on Earth not yet finished like the Asgardians, were pleased by Huanglong's return, they were not all-too-happy about the idea of the First being bonded to a human boy in both body and soul. Then there were the gods that believed that dragons were not meant to be and thought the symbiosis unnatural and something to destroy.

To use the words of a mundane teenager, the Oracle thought they were being a bunch of overgrown stuck-up babies.

Though he had patience equally greater than all the tea that ever has and ever will exist in China _and_ England, even the Oracle had his limits. If it was not the Ancients, it was the Congregation, which had the Oracle greatly considering disbanding the entirety of it all. True, the Congregation was made up of at least one representative of every known universe, including some of the more primal and higher ones, every single one of them had been mortal at some point and so shared common traits that, more often than the Oracle wished, proved to be more annoying than anything else.

It didn't help any that the so-called Ancient Gods were acting no better and were immortal from the start just like he was.

In fact, the only ones that were acting with a level-head were J & L, both of whom had power on par with his own and were 'enemies' to each other to boot. Though the two were, more often than not, at war with each other, it was with the Beasts and Guardians of the Veil that the two greatest powers in the realm of Earth agreed on something for what could not be called the first and only time.

Footsteps were drawing near and the Oracle could hear the voice of his trusted friend and supporter, Tibor, arguing, once again, with Orube, who, once again taking mundane words, was a big pain in the butt. The Oracle sighed and set his face into his normal Cheshire neutrality, mentally readying himself for what would most undoubtedly be another _long_ day.

* * *

Irma grumbled to herself as she carefully undid the lock on her locker, using many a bad word to describe how she felt about the lock and many of its relatives as well as her own. Another wonderful morning had been wrecked by her prat of a half-brother, Chris, and his 'Rooster Call'. Then, to make matters much better, she had gotten into another fight with her step-mother about how to treat her younger brother which ended in words that her father will most likely punish her over later that night.

"Excuse me, but could you perhaps tell me vhere the math hall is?" Irma bit back a sigh but couldn't hold back a roll of her teal-colored eyes. Now she had an ignoramus asking her for directions to the Hall of Pain, as she liked to call it.

"Down that way, past the E-lockers can't miss it." Irma lazily waved an arm towards her right, her eyes and attention more focused on getting all her required books before the five-minute warning bell went off.

"You're going to need to be a little more specific." Oh was he going to get it. Irma turned, her eyes on fire with her ire, ready to make him kneel before her in tears.

"What are you—" And the venom shriveled up faster than Martin in front of the jock squad.

"Vhat? Tall? Rugged? Handsome?" A single word escaped past Irma's lips before she could fully think about what she was saying.

"Blind…" The boy chuckled a dry and empty chuckle that had Irma feeling more guilt over her foot-in-mouth skills.

"You know, I _alvays_ forget that one." For the first time, Irma wished that she was given power over earth if only so she could have it swallow her whole. As she stood there in utter embarrassment, Irma did the first thing that came naturally to her whenever she was introduced to someone new, especially if it was a guy. Starting from the bottom up, Irma saw that the boy had a regular pair of sneakers that were almost hidden by his light-tan colored cargo pants. He wore a blue hooded vest over his ocean-green t-shirt, which was decorated with a shark and the words 'Take A Bite Outta Life'. She didn't miss seeing the white seeing-eye cane in his hands, but oh how she wish she had noticed it along with his face before she opened her mouth. He had dark blonde hair that was cut short in the back but hung slightly into his eyes, not that, that really mattered. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses that, instead of being the normal black, were a myriad of colors giving the idea that the glasses were used more for the sun than anything else.

"I'm _so _sorry! I didn't mean to be such a—I'm sorry!" The boy chuckled and tilted his head towards her own; his single fang earring gleaming in the light. He was easily a foot taller than her, if not more, and could easily pass off as an aspiring basketball player.

"It's alright. I'm used to it by now. It's actually kinda fun to hear how a person's voice changes vhen their embarrassed." Irma's face was doing a wonderful rendition of a tomato by now.

"Still, I'm sorry. Um… where was it that you wanted to go?"

"The Math Hall, taught by a Fräulein Rudolph I believe…" said the boy in his light German accent.

"Oh! I have her as well. I can help you find it, that is, if you don't mind walking with someone who inserts her foot into her mouth." The boy tilted his head and smiled.

"I knew you were a comedian… Sure, lead the way miss… I don't believe I got your name."

"I didn't give it," Irma said, a smirk on her face and her voice teasing. She laughed before taking the boy's hand in her own. "I'm Irma Lair."

The boy, startled by the contact, was silent for a moment before a true smile appeared on his face as his hand carefully gripped Irma's. "I'm Axel. Axel Meestrom."

* * *

"So Irma…"

"Hmmm?"

"Who was the guy you were holding hands and laughing with?" Irma looked up from her locker to see a smiling Hay Lin standing beside an equally smiling Taranee. '_Uh-oh…_' A smiling Hay Lin was one thing, but a smiling Hay Lin _and_ Taranee? That meant trouble.

Keeping her face as neutral as possible, Irma spoke, "Axel? He's just new here and I was helping out."

"By showing him your laughing place?" asked Hay Lin, her smile changing into a grin that Eduardo would be proud of.

"So I laughed at a few of his stories, so what? Doesn't mean I'm dating him."

"We never said anything about dating him." The smirk on Taranee's face was mocking her, Irma knew that hanging out with her too much would be bad for Taranee; she was becoming smug like her. Well the apprentice was, once again, about to be taught by the master.

"Nor do we whenever we see you and Eduardo together." The smirk switched sides, adorning Irma's face as Taranee's flushed.

"We're taking it slow…"

"Taranee, have you two even mentioned the word 'date'?"

"No… but this isn't about me."

"It's about you and the guy that, were you drinking any, would have you spurting milk outta your nose cause you were laughing that hard!" Irma frowned at Hay Lin.

"Thank you so much for _that_ lovely image." Before Hay Lin or Taranee could say anything further, a familiar voice echoed across the hallway and back.

"Are you listening to me!" The trio exchanged looks before moving over to where a crowd had gathered around a series of lockers. Politely, or not so politely in Hay Lin and Irma's case, pushing through, the girls were able to see Axel carefully taking his textbooks from his locker as Martin stood beside him with a look fit to kill.

Ever since Eloyn had taken her rightful place as the queen of Meridian, Martin had slowly, and then quickly, began to change. At first, it was thought to be a good thing since he didn't allow anyone to push him around anymore, especially the jocks. However, as time went on, Martin became someone that even Uriah and his gang refused to mess with. There were talks and whispers about Martin taking steroids since it was all but impossible for someone like Martin, a human-twig, to become someone like Hulk Hogan in under a month without some kind of drug additional.

"Unfortunately so. You vant me to stay avay from 'your voman' and to keep my eyes on someone else." Axel closed his locker and turned his back to Martin. It was then that Irma noticed that Axel was hiding his seeing-eye cane within his book bag. The only reason she spotted it all was because of the strange coin medallion adorning its top was sticking out through the bag.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, damn it!" Martin reached up and roughly shoved Axel shoulder, spinning the startled teen hard enough that his sunglasses went flying before Irma managed to catch them. She was about to return them to her blind friend but she was momentarily stunned by the sight of Axel's eyes. They were stark white and nearly shone with their own light as they emptily stared into the air. Axel frowned and gently patted his face, feeling the familiar weight of his glasses suddenly absent.

"Vould someone be so kind to give me meine glasses back?" Irma quickly hurried forward and gently took Axel's hand before placing the glasses on his face with tenderness that, she thought, unbecoming of her. Axel smiled and nodded. "Danke, Irma. I never thought I'd hear a fool outside a zoo…" Irma covered her mouth with a hand as she silently giggled. Axel's smile widened, as though he had somehow heard Irma's laugh, before he turned and, after taking his seeing-eye cane out from his bag, began to make his way to his next class. Irma quickly walked up to him and began to walk with him, Taranee and Hay Lin joining her a second later.

Martin's anger, if anything, intensified to such a high level that he did the most foolhardy thing anyone could ever do. There were insults and then there were insults. A casual insult between friends, often shared for obvious, an insult to the weak to make the weaker feel stronger, an insult for enemies to mock and anger them so that themselves might feel less superior. However, there were the kinds of insults so dirty, so disgustingly foul that the very sources of those insults were often disgusted with themselves for having given birth to them. It was this kind of insult that Martin chose to attack Axel.

"Why don't you do us all a favor and go back to Germany you Neo-Nazi!"

If life were an animated cartoon with a constant musical background, that music would have scratched to a halt. As it was, several of the kids that were leaving the scene skidded to a halt and turned to stare at Martin, many with obvious hints of revulsion and many more, especially those with German ancestry, were outright glaring at Martin, looking ready to kill. Irma, Hay Lin, and Taranee had all gasped and had turned to stare wide-eyed at Martin before looking up at Axel.

The expression on the blind boy's face put more fear in the girls' hearts than Phobos could ever dream of. It was an expression of pure, unadulterated rage the likes of which hadn't been in Heatherfield since its creation. Such an expression had adorned Axel's face once and only once, and it was during that one time his sight had been torn away from him.

Along with the life of his younger brother.

"_Vhat did you call me_?" Axel hissed angrily.

"You heard me." Martin crossed his arms across his broad chest, his voice radiating pure ego. "Neo-Nazi."

Axel slammed his fist so hard into the locker next to him; he not only dented it but caused a loud gong-like sound to echo across the silent hallway. For a brief moment all was still.

Then pure chaos appeared with a vengeance.

Somehow, Axel had turned around and ran at Martin with enough speed to put most horses to shame and had struck him soundly across the head with his cane. Sparring no time, Axel used his cane to knock Martin's feet out from under him and once the boy's feet were off the ground, Axel delivered a fierce spin-kick into Martin's chest. The kick had more than enough power to crack several of Martin's ribs, which were further jarred from his impact into a locker. As Martin's brain began to register the vast amounts of pain he was feeling, Axel placed his cane on the once dorkish teen's shoulder and leaned in to whisper a simple phrase that sent shivers down Martin's back.

"Say such a thing like that to me or mine, and I vill crack more than your ribs."

* * *

The students were still talking about it even as they left the institute for home, the mall, work, or even the occasional not-so-hidden hang-out at their mentor's Chinese restaurant.

"That was so cool!" exclaimed Hay Lin as she hopped from one foot to the other. "Did you see how he did that thing with his cane—then the kick—then that Terminator voice! COOL!"

"Remember to breathe Hay Lin." Cornelia said.

"I still be believin' dat dem markers o' yours 'ave finally gone ta yer head," said Eduardo, his grin as present as ever.

"I don't know…" Bastian mumbled, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "My uncle's nearly blind himself but he's got the ears of a bat. Remember when we tried to take some of my aunt's cookies, Will?"

"Yeah. He heard us from the basement while he was playing with his trains," said Will, her voice dry and sarcastic. "We weren't allowed any unless we filched some for him too." The other snickered at this.

"Hey, are we gonna meet up at the Restaurant today?" asked Cornelia. "Cause I gotta baby-sit the little monkey today."

"I can't eitha, I got ta be helpin' me mum out wit some o' da dogs at de station and I gotta be presentable." Eduardo chuckled. "W'ateva dat means."

"And we gotta help Mr. Olsen at his shop today," said Will with Bastian nodding in agreement. When first introduced to the older man, Bastian had asked if he was looking for another assistant for his shop. Mr. Olsen was hesitant at first; after all he hardly knew Bastian and had only Will's trust and words to go by. This changed near instantly after Bastian helped Mr. Olsen with a new species of bird that had been delivered to him. The blazing red bird had been refusing to eat for some time and Mr. Olsen had feared that it would soon die of starvation. However, when Bastian added some powdered cinnamon to the nuts and berries that made up the bird's meal, it happily ate it with a fierce gusto that was near similar to Mr. Olsen's handshake when he hired Bastian.

"Speaking of which, we really should be going. See ya tomorrow guys!" Bastian and Will waved as they both ran off towards Mr. Olsen's pet shop while Eduardo and Cornelia did the same, both walking in separate directions.

"Guess it's us three huh?" said Irma, a small smile on her face.

"Guess again…" murmured Taranee, looking past Irma.

Irma turned and groaned at the sight that awaited her. Her step-mother and her half-brother were standing beside her father's car, one looking incredibly bored even with an incredibly bouncy ball to play with, and the other looking as mad as she was earlier that morning.

"Oh man, I'm really in for it now if she drove all the way here. She hates to drive." Irma sighed and slowly made her way over to the car. Irma was barely halfway there when Christopher dropped his ball into the street and quickly ran after it, completely oblivious to the speeding car heading his way. Irma's heart dropped to her feet before she quickly ran forward, calling out to her brother even as her step-mother whirled about and made to go after her son herself.

A whoosh of air quickly blew past Irma and her mother. Christopher barely managed to scream before strong arms picked him up and out of the speeding car's way. The car continued on even as Axel and Christopher panted for air, the younger boy looking as a pale as a ghost.

"Christopher! Oh thank god!" Mrs. Lair quickly took her son from Axel's arms and hugging with a force unequal to even a python's. Once she had carefully made sure that he son was okay half-a-dozen times, and had appropriately squeezed the life out of him, Mrs. Lair turned to Axel. "Thank you so much. I don't what I would have done if he…"

Axel smiled, a bit sadly in Irma's stunned opinion, "No need for thanks."

"Thanks?" mumbled Irma, her mind nearing a breakdown at what had happened. "THANKS?" Racing over to the taller boy, Irma all but tackled him. As it was, she merely grabbed him by his vest and began to shake him wildly. "You almost got yourself killed! How could you do that without seeing anything!" Axel opened his mouth to defend himself but Irma cut him to the quick. "And don't tell me you heard the car coming; even bats couldn't see something going that fast!"

"Irma!" said Mrs. Lair, her thankful tone switching to one filled with ire. "You should be thanking him! You brother could have been killed!"

"That's not the point!" screeched Irma, her hands still firmly attached to Axel's vest. "The point is that _he_," Irma gave Axel another fierce shake, "is blind and could have gotten himself killed alongside the midget!"

"Irma! Please don't be so rude!"

"It's alright," said Axel, a grin on his face. "It's actually refreshing to be talked to vith such easiness. I appreciate your concerns Irma, but I'm quite alright. Except for feeling like I've been sitting too long in a massage-chair, I'm fine." Irma turned her anger-filled eyes up at Axel before sighing and letting go of his vest.

"You're a jerk if there ever was one."

"Ich liebe Dich auch meine Dame." Irma raised her eyebrow at that while her step-mother did the same.

"You speak German?" asked Mrs. Lair. Axel smiled and nodded.

"I'm from Germany, Frau Lair, but I also speak a few other languages as well." Mrs. Lair's eyes lit up in a way that Irma did not like in the least.

"Say, would you be interested in a job?"

"A job?" asked Axel, raising an eyebrow. "As vhat?"

"Being a tutor to my daughter here," said Mrs. Lair, wrapping an arm around Irma's shoulder and giving it a silencing squeeze. "Her grades in French aren't doing too well and I know she could use the help. I'm willing to pay you for your services."

"Danke but I'm not… really cut out for teaching…" said Axel, looking uncomfortable with the thought.

"Please? I really would like to repay you for what you did."

"You already did. By saying 'thank you'."

* * *

In the end, however, Mrs. Lair won out and Irma ended up having a tutor for French from two to four-o'clock from Monday through Thursday. At first, Irma was worried that her father would have a fit about it, but when he heard that Axel wanted only two dollars a day, and no overtime, he was quick to change his tune. Irma had the nagging feeling that if her father knew that Axel was blind, that tune would be quick to change again. It wasn't that he was prejudice, far from it; it was more likely that he would feel that it would be hard for Axel to grade Irma's 'homework' when he couldn't even see it.

As it turned out, Axel didn't assign any homework to her but, instead, altered her current homework so that he could hear her as she spoke. He could always tell if she was cheating by using the book or anything written down and would take away the item she was using. When she asked how he knew, the tall German-born teen merely grinned a smug grin and stated that her voice sounded stupider because she had to read the words off something.

The resulting pillow fight could easily be claimed as a war.

As the week went on however, Irma found herself speaking French in such a way that, during one of her lessons, Axel had said she sounded like a native, which seemed to fit her loving personality. Irma was both pleased and touched by this, and was silently thankful that Axel couldn't see her blush. Though she would never admit it, Irma was beginning to like the taller teen more and more to the point where she could almost see herself dating him.

The only thing that prevented her from actually mentioning such things to Axel was not the fact that he was blind. No, if anything, Axel could see things far better than she could. It wasn't the fact that he was an immigrant, or spoke with a heavy accent like Eduardo. It wasn't because of the way that he smiled and laughed at her stories and jokes more than any of the others. It wasn't because of the laughs and smiles he brought out of her.

It most certainly wasn't the way he looked so bloody kissable whenever he talked.

Irma shook her head rapidly. This train of thought wasn't helping; she had to remain focused. She was trying to find reasons why she shouldn't be feeling like she wanted more out of Axel than a tutor. Mentally sighing to herself, Irma looked down at her slowly melting sundae and tried to focus on someone other than the German boy. With it being Friday, Irma didn't have to worry at all about seeing Axel for a few days. For now, her main worry was whether or not the others would be showing up this century. At least, that's what she thought initially.

"Leibchen?" said a very familiar German-accented voice from behind Irma.

"A-Axel?" Irma turned to indeed see the tall blonde standing behind her, his head angled down to look at her. A soft smile appeared across his face and stifled a chuckle.

"Yep. Only girl I know that can be embarrassed so easily." Irma was once again thankful of the fact that Axel could not see her reddened face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, her voice etched in curiosity.

"I'm actually on my vay to see mein father at the hospital and dropped by here to pick up some stuff." Axel had said it so casually that Irma missed most of it. When she did she started slightly and stared at Axel.

"Your dad's in the hospital? What for? I mean—" The foot-in-mouth technique had made another grand appearance. Axel wasn't offended though and, instead, chuckled as he amended his earlier statement.

"My father is a doctor, a surgeon to be specific." Irma's eyes widened and she stared openmouthed at Axel. '_It couldn't be…_' But it was and she knew it. Axel was the son of Dr. Meestrom, the doctor that had valiantly tried to save Taranee's life when she had been shot by Nekolas' poisoned bullet.

It was Axel who lost a younger brother much like she would have had he not been there.

"Axel…"

"Vhat?" Axel's brow furrowed, his hearing easily detecting the change in Irma's voice even in the loud mall. "Vhat is it?" Before Irma could even think up a way to divert the conversation, a loud click sounded from behind her head.

"Hello sweetcheeks."

"Martin, what—" Irma had started to move her head to look at the heavily muscled boy when a large hand slapped her hard in the face, sending her reeling. As she struggled to see straight, Irma felt the cold barrel of a gun push against her neck. "It'd be better if you didn't move honey."

A faint hiss came from Axel and he stood to his feet, his cane held ready to give Martin a huge beat down unlike anything he had ever imagined.

"Back down, jerk. I'm callin' the shots around here, and I say my sweetums needs to learn where her heart should be directed towards." Martin laughed before pulling the trigger. Instead of loud bang there was a whoosh of air as a dart flew out from the gun's barrel and struck Irma's neck. The pale-brown haired girl could only blink in surprise before she collapsed onto the table, her breathing heavy as she broke out into a cold sweat.

"Oh yeah…" said Martin as he leveled the gun at the quivering Axel. Had the boy not been wearing his multi-colored glasses, Martin would have seen the pale blue irises that appeared within their milky depths as snake-like pupils glared liquid fire at him. "There's been something that's been buggin' me for a while. It seems you've forgotten your place as well and a friend of mine wanted to share some words with you." There came a sick demented laughter that caused Axel's blood to turn cold before rage once again gained control in greater lengths.

"Remember me, Axel?" said the person whose laughter had brought painful memories to the surface of Axel's mind. "When I killed your brother, I talked ju_st_… _like… THIS!_"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	8. The Leviathan's Embrace

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Runs past.) GRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Runs past.) GRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Runs past.) GRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Runs past.) GRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!

Muses: Cookie break?

Me: Okay.

(Cookie Break.)

Me: Ready?

Bahamut: (Shrugs.)

Me: Okay then. GRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!

Muses: (Run away.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Stays put.) Heh-heh. Boy I love doing that.

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. ****

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Eight: The Leviathan's Embrace

The beast was greatly enraged; this mortal scum had harmed _his Guardian_! But more than that, he had done something so dreadfully evil that even the beast could not recall it without feeling the emotion known as despair. The beast would not allow it to escape his wrath unscathed, even into death. Though that did not mean the beast would not kill the mortal after he had wrapped it within his deadly embrace and crush many of the human's ribs. The beast hissed angrily as he slowly slithered towards the mortal on his large serpentine tail, still unused to his incomplete form.

With a feral snarl, the beast shot forward and grabbed the human by the neck with his tail even as others of its kind screamed and fled in terror at the sight of him. Gleaming yellow eyes stared deeply into the human's wide ones even as deadly venom dripped down from fangs sharper than any needle. The human, while in great pain, had enough wits about itself to realize that it was in deep trouble. The beast opened his jaws and prepared take a killing bit on the human's neck when the human surprised him by attempting to attack him with the still loaded gun.

The beast's hiss reached new multitudes as the darts fell to the ground, their needles bent and crumpled from his hard skin. A small dribble of water spilled over the beast's lower jaw before a minature geyser blasted out and shoved the human through the air and up to the second level of the mall. The beast hissed and made to give chase, his desire for revenge still burning across his mind, when he happened to glance down at the prone form of his Guardian. Cold eyes that were equal to the hardness of diamonds softened as feline pupils grew out to resemble human ones even as the elvan ears of the beast's head twitched, trying to see the Guardian's sweat-covered face. A forked tongue slipped out between scaly lips as the beast bent down and gently gathered his Guardian in his longer arms even as the human within him began to take control over the body that he had created.

_

* * *

_

'_Ich bin Axel Meestrom. Ich bin ein Mensch. Ich bin ein normaler Mensch. Ich bin nicht ein Monster, ich bin ein menschliches Wesen! Ich bin nicht ein Dämon! Ich bin nicht ein Monster von der Hölle!_' Axel was all but screaming inside the dark depths of his mind as he plaintively ignored The Presence that tingled in the back of his brain.

The same Presence that transformed him two years ago.

_

* * *

_

Eyes now fully human, Axel looked upon his surroundings not with his now pointed ears but with eyes as blue as the cloudless sky. '_I… can see again…_' However, Axel did not dwell much on this revelation when his newly healed eyes caught sight of the empty canister of the dart. Hissing, Axel reached down and gently eased the dart out from Irma's neck before tossing at a wall, not failing to see it shatter into dust.

Alongside the dart.

Sighing, Axel turned away from the ruined wall and quickly slithered away towards the main entrance of the mall. Enough people had evacuted the area that the German-born didn't honestly think that anyone would still be around and there was little chance that the police would arrive due to a naga attacking someone in front of a Ben & Jerry's. Axel's ears twitched nonstop as his increased his speed, his ears focused entirely on Irma's heartbeat. With his ears and eyes focused on other things, Axel failed to take notice of the strange sounds that eminating from the second floor of the mall.

The sounds of a great monster devouring its fill.

_

* * *

_

"Do you think it could be Cedric?" whispered Hay Lin as she carefully looked into a store, which, conveniently, held several of her favorite manga.

"I doubt it," said Cornelia, her voice just as quiet. "Eloyn would have told us if he had escaped."

"She did love him you know…" murmured Will as she carefully crept behind them.

"_Did _being the key word here."

Bastian rolled his eyes as he and Eduardo watched the girls act like they were in some bad spy movie. "Could you guys _please_ tell us what you're talking about."

"Ya, who's dis Cedric dude anyway?"

"Do either of you happen to know what a naga is?" asked Taranee, her eyes focused straight ahead of her.

"The snake-people? Yes, I've read of them but—" Bastian's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a minute. You don't mean he's a…?"

"Yep."  
"You told me he was a sorcerer!" Bastian pointed an accusing finger at Will who only shushed him in response.

"Someone mind sharin' wit' me 'ere? I still be a bit confused," said Eduardo.

"A naga is basically a human with the lower body of a snake. Some breeds are known to be very powerful," said Taranee, her eyes lighting up as her mind went through the books she had read on them.

"The main question here though is how big he is," muttered Bastian as he too took on the spy- style of walking.

"W'at so bad about dat? Snakes are puny." Taranee glanced over her shoulder at Eduardo.

"Eduardo, the biggest snake on record reached over forty-feet in length alone."

"… How big is Cedric…?"

"Fifty."

"… Oh mon, we are _screwed_!"

Cornelia turned around and smacked the Jamaican boy upside the head, a deep frown on her face. "Hey we beat him before, but we need to find Irma before we can start looking for him! Knowing her, she could have fallen right into his arms!"

At the precise moment, a large humanoid snake came around the corner with none other than Irma in his long arms. There was a tense pause before all four girls shrieked and backed away from the monstrous naga even as Eduardo and Bastian stood before them, both taking attack positions. The naga opened his mouth and hissed at the noise that echoed in his ears as he backed away from them. The naga was a deep blue color with stripes running down along the snake portion of his body. His upper body was mostly human save for some snake-like qualities. However, his ears were more like an elves; straight and pointed with one having a shark-fang earring adorning it.

"Oh my god…" murmured Will. "Is that who I think it is…?"

"It is…" said Bastian, his eyes glowing with magenta-colored light even as the hidden Fang began to glow. "It's Axel."

The naga, Axel, hissed a sorrow-filled hiss and nodded, his scaly hair falling into his sky-blue eyes. Axel slithered forward and gently placed Irma down on a bench before staring down at the others. He tried to speak but like Eduardo before him, nothing human came from his mouth. Only hisses and faint growls that put a few of the girls on edge.

"I… can't sense his thoughts." Bastian spoke, his eyes slowly losing their glow. "I can sense that it is him but aside from that…"

Axel's eyes narrowed and he hissed in frustration before he reached down to gently twist Irma's head so that her injured neck was facing them. The others gasped at the sight and quickly moved to surround the comatose girl.

"Did he do this to her?" asked Cornelia, completely ignoring the angered look that crossed Axel's face. Before he could even attempt to speak, Axel's sharp ears detected a quiet sound that sent his mind into a such a rage that he lost himself to The Presence once again. Whirling about, Axel took off back towards where he had come, hissing in cold fury even as the voice continued to sing its twisted song.

"**_To-tal slaughter, _**

**_To-tal slaughter, _**

**_I won't leave a single man alive… _**

**_La de da de die, _**

**_Genoci-i-ide… _**

**_La de da de dud, _**

**_An ocean of blood… _**

**_Let's be-gin the killing time…_**"

Reaching the deserted foodcourt of the mall, Axel hissed quietly and began to slowly slither forward, his ears constantly moving to catch the barest noise. He could hear the others talking back near the mall's entrance; he could even hear Irma's erractic heartbeat, but he could no longer hear the voice that taunted him from his within his soul. Suddenly, a hissing-laugh echoed from above and Axel only just managed to dive to the side as a large form dropped down from the second floor.

Catching sight of what had fallen, Axel hissed in surprise and backed away from none other than himself. The thing was like a mirror version of himself, or at least the himself that he was now. However, this other him was different in one single way that gave truth to this creature's alliance. Its claws were stained with the blood of whatever it had just recently devoured. The other him smile and lifted a pair of glasses and waved them before the stunned Axel who realized with a cold sense of reality just who this creature had eaten.

'_Martin…_'

The Other Him laughed its hissing laugh and, to Axel's surprise, took off in the same direction he had come. Axel made to go after the creature when the sounds of guns being cocked echoed in his ears. Axel turned and stared at the SWAT Team that held their rifles up at him even as the Other Him drew closer to his friends.

"What the hell is that thing?"

"That doesn't matter, if it moves _kill it_."

Axel hissed and stared down at the armed humans, his fangs gleaming alongside their guns. Someone was going to die in this fight; Axel knew this for a fact. What he needed now was something, anything, to distract the SWAT Team long enough for him to attempt an escape. That distraction came in the form of several teenaged screams echoing from whence Axel had come. Raising himself higher, Axel hissed angrily and made to charge forward.

The hail of bullets put an end to that and anything else Axel had planned.

_

* * *

_

_One minute forty-three seconds ago…_

"What was _that_ about?" asked Cornelia. Will merely shrugged and knelt down next to the prone Irma.

"I don't know, but we need to focus more on Irma here than Axel."

"But w'at if de cops find 'im? I be tellin' ya, me mum an' Irma's pop won't be a holdin' back wit' de gun powa." Eduardo stated, his eyes reflecting his worry.

"We'll just have to hope that Axel can avoid them; he's got pointed ears for a reason you know." Bastian looked back at the others and noticed the weird looks they were shooting his way. "What?"

"Um… no offense but you're talking like you know what his powers are." Hay Lin said. Bastian shrugged and moved to stand next to Will.

"The Fang is about as silent as the Heart." Before any of the others could ask what he meant by that, the naga-like creature that Axel had become quickly slithered up to them with a strange look in his eyes that none of them liked to see.

"Why is he lookin' at me like dat?" Eduardo asked. Quicker than a flash, Axel lunged forward and slashed at Eduardo, tearing through his clothes and slicing into the teen's chest. Eduardo fell back with a shout of pain as Axel reared up and prepared to strike again even as the screams of the girls filled the hallway. Jabbing his head forward, Axel prepared to take a large bite out of the bleeding Eduardo only to end up with a large potted tree.

His eyes glowing bright magenta, Bastian snarled a bestial growl of his own at Axel. "I don't know what you are but you are going down!" Several wooden benches lifted from the ground and flew through the air at Axel who merely smashed them apart with his tail before grabbing the still unconscious Irma and slithering away. By the time Bastian made to give chase, Axel had already smashed his way out of the mall and into the city. Realizing the futility of giving chase, Bastian quickly moved to help the frantic Taranee bandage Eduardo.

"I'm fine! Really!" Eduardo exclaimed with a wince of pain as Taranee tightened a strip of her sleeve across his cut torso. "OW!"

"Fine huh?" asked Bastian, a single eyebrow rose in pure sarcasm. "Just relax would ya? You'll give your girlfriend here an anxiety attack otherwise." Though he was a pale-faced, Eduardo somehow found enough blood to blush.

"Why would Axel do this?" asked Hay Lin as she looked over Bastian shoulder. "I mean he gave Irma to us and took off then came back to attack us and take her. It doesn't make sense!"

"Of course it doesn't." Bastian looked up at Hay Lin. "That wasn't Axel."

"What?"

"That thing was a fake, a trick." Will's eyes were hard as she silently went through this. "It was obvious from the moment he appeared."

"To who? Sherlock Holmes?" asked Cornelia.

"Didn't you notice his earring, Cornelia? It was on his _right_ ear." Cornelia's eyes widened with realization.

"But Axel's is on his left ear! That thing _was_ a fake!"

"Is it one of the shadow creatures then? Or something from Meridian?" asked Taranee as she finished treating Eduardo's wound.

"I think the real question here is much more important than that," said Bastian. "If that thing was pretending to be Axel, what happened to the real one?"

_

* * *

_

'_Wo bin ich...?_'

(**In den Abwasserkanälen der Stadt.**)

'_Was—die Sie sind?_'

(**Mein Name ist ohne Wert; was jetzt ausmacht, ist, ob Sie bereit sind, zu tun, was notwendig ist.**)

'_Sagen was?_'

(**Sie fast, beim Versuchen, den Wasser-Wächter zu speichern, sind starben Sie bereit, so zu wiederholen?**)

'_Selbstverständlich bin ich!_'

(**Warum?**)

'_…… Weil ich ein Leben einmal vorher speichern nicht konnte... Ich falle nicht wieder... aus Hmmm…_'

(**Ich sehe, daß meine Bruder hatten Recht... Der menschliche Geist ist etwas bewundert zu werden.**)

'_Bruder? Was Sie—_'

(**Dieses ist mein letztes Wort zu Ihnen Mensch, beachten es gut.**)

(**SCHUTZ.**)

_

* * *

_

Marisodal hissed in pure glee as he shot across the streets of Heatherfield, ignoring the many car wrecks he left behind. He had managed to trick so many humans; his mistress will be so pleased! Looking back, Marisodal snickered at the sight of the transformed Guardians flying just a few yards behind him with their protectors lagging behind as mere mortal humans. It was truly a pitiful sight; two of the great Beasts reduced to humans on living bicycles. It was most definitely a thing to laugh about. Marisodal's demented laughter was stopped by something neither he nor the Guardians of the Veil could ever expect in a decade's time.

A manhole cover.

The manhole in itself did the damage to Marisodal's jaw but it was the jet of pure water that shot forth from Heatherfield's sewers that gave it the power to do such an act. Marisodal hissed angrily and gripped his face in pain and thought of what kind of harm he could unleash upon the Italians that had given him such an embarrassing blow to his ego. However, upon looking up at the cloudless sky, Marisodal quickly realized that it wasn't a couple of plumbers with a penchant of reptile-bashing but something far more dangerous than they and any other video game hero ever was and could ever be.

The Guardians, plus the boys, stared with wide-eyed astonishment as the jet stream of water continued to rise higher and higher before staying in place above the ground.

Two hundred feet above it.

The water began to expand outwards as more of it rose upwards into the air, giving it a strange circular shape that seemed to have one too many bumps to be a perfect sphere. This continued one for a few seconds until the last droplet of water touch the aquatic sphere floating above the city streets. It was the exact moment that the tiny droplet of water, no bigger than a teardrop, that the sphere burst forth into a long river spanning across the sky above the city before wrapping itself atop the largest skyscraper. Suddenly, with a loud hiss of air, the water evaporated into nothing, revealing the true form beneath it all.

A Leviathan.

The great serpent gazed across the city, his oceanic eyes so strangely similar to a human's reflecting something that few beings possessed. It was the eyes of someone who saw and felt the pains of sadness, experienced and knew of joy, and accepted Death alongside Life. In the end, it was someone who saw the world with eyes unclouded though he was blind both physically and spiritually for most his once mundane life.

It was the eyes of the Third Beast.

Axel Meestrom.

_

* * *

_

Axel snorted a breath of steam before looking straight down into the wide eyes of Marisodal, his elongated ears twitching at the familiar heartbeat that was overshadowed by the parasite adorning the human beneath his once-mirrored form. However, it was not the human beneath the monster that caught Axel's focus; it was the girl in the creature's arms.

(**_Irma…_**)

The girl whose name was spoken stirred in Marisodal's arms, reacting to the special mental bond shared between herself and Axel that had, until now, remained dormant. The poison, however, would not allow her to wake fully so all she could do was speak a single name within the confine that her body had become.

(_Axel…_)

Said Leviathan reacted to his name being spoken by rearing his great eel-like head back and singing a symphony of violins for all of Heatherfield to hear. Untwisting his great body from his perch, Axel fell towards the ground without a sound before suddenly hovering a few feet above it. Baring his fangs at Marisodal, Axel shrank down to a more manageable length of a hundred feet. Spreading his two pairs of flippers out, Axel hissed a tight string of string-music as the webbed spines adorning his back slowly straightened, their poisonous tips gleaming in the light of the afternoon sun.

Marisodal grimaced and back away only to have his back set literally aflame. Marisodal tossed Irma's prone form into the air as his pain-etched screams echoed through the now abandoned street. Before Irma could even begin to fall, a magenta-colored psyche-energy covered her unmoving body and gently, but quickly, brought her towards her awaiting friends who would all watch over the battle from the rooftops. Hissing both in pain and anger, Marisodal turned hate-filled eyes toward the chuckling Axel, whose notes sounded more mocking than originally intended,

"**DoN't YoU dArE mOcK mE, fOoLiSh HuMaN sCuM!**" spoke Marisodal, his voice the same pitch as the one who had spoken to Axel before he had transformed into his incomplete form for the second time. His good humor instantly dead, Axel drew himself up and glared down at Marisodal.

(**_I know you monster._**) Axel spoke, his voice heard only by three beings, none of which were mundane, (**_You who took my sight from me as well as my brother's life!_**) A hiss escaped from Axel, a hiss that sounded much like a string slowly being cut. (**_Release Martin and fight me in your true form, demon._**)

"**DeMoN…? dEmOn? YoU dArE iNsUlT mE iN sUcH a MaNnEr! I aM nO dEmOn! I aM a CHOMEAKHAN!**" Dark light spewed forth from Marisodal's body in tight beams before his form rippled away to reveal the hideously deformed creature beneath. At first glance, one would assume that the creature had once been a lizard of some sort. Now however, it was something that only vaguely resembled any such life form. Its limbs were severely broken and twisted about its stout skeleton-like body with a tail bent in on itself so many times it couldn't even move much less function properly. The creature's head was several sizes too large for its body with eyes just as big if not more so, and sitting just between these eyes was the face of the human that Axel had once believed to have been eaten.

Martin.

(**_Still holding hostages, demon?_**) Axel sneered at Marisodal.

"**HoStAgE? tHiS bOy CaMe To Me WiLlInGlY, jUsT lIkE yOu AnD yOuR bRoThEr!**" Axel hissed and snapped his head forward, biting on empty air. Hissing to himself, Axel quickly glanced around and realized that he had been tricked once again, but more than that, this creature, this Chomeakhan, was baiting him. It was purposely trying to get him to act first, think later long enough for the sun to set and its true powers could be reached. Axel had let his rage take control once before and it had cost him greatly, this time, he would not allow anyone to die.

Even if he must die to do so.

Closing his eyes, Axel stilled his entire body save for the hard spade adorning the tip of his tail, which pounded the ground in a steady rhythm. Suddenly, Axel lunged his head upwards towards the side of an apartment complex and seemingly bit down on what appeared to be empty air until the bleeding arm of Marisodal. Eyes still closed, Axel shook the near invisible Marisodal before the Chomeakhan broke off the arm and tumbled away from his much larger opponent. Gasping in pain while maintaining a firm grip on the stump that was his larger arm, Marisodal stared up at the looming Leviathan even as his black blood slowly dripped to a halt.

(**_Last time ve met, demon._**) Axel slowly raised himself upwards as he spoke. (**_I didn't allow myself to sink to your level, a level below humanity._** **_But this time…_**) Gleaming eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

(**_I'm not human._**) Opening his fang-lined maw wide, Axel unleashed a powerful scream that sounded like thousands violins playing at speeds unrecorded in human history. A jet stream of water burst forth from Axel's mouth and impacted against Marisodal with enough force to send the Chomeakhan flying. Before the parasitic creature could even alter his form to better suit his suddenly changed situation, the water pushing him _up_ through the air began to heat up before bursting into superheated steam that caused Marisodal's scales to peel away in one big burst. Marisodal could only scream as the steam rapidly began to cool until the thin layer of water adorning his pink-skinned hide froze into ice, sending him falling to the ground. His large form shattered instantly, leaving the human beneath, none the worse for wear. However, with his near-symbiotic parasite destroyed, Martin's body had reverted back to the way it was before he had met the Chomeakhan. Whether or not his personality had also reverted back remained to be seen, but that was little of concern to Axel. His main concern was the girl he had come to care deeply about in the past week.

Breathing a single note of a sigh, Axel twisted his serpentine body upwards towards the roof that his friends were currently standing upon. As he moved closer, Axel's body began to slowly melt away into a liquid form unlike that of water. By the time his now hydro-formed snout touched the roof, Axel was nothing more than a human boy surrounded by water. Breathing another sigh, Axel slowly moved towards the others, his eyes closed once again. Hearing the familiar beat of Irma's heart, Axel knelt down next to her.

"Whoa…" murmured Will as she and the other girls reverted back to their human form.

"Dat was pretty cool mon." Eduardo smiled his toothy grin and gave Axel two-thumbs up. Axel didn't open his eyes nor turn his head to face Eduardo. Instead, he simply nodded before something caught his ears. While Irma's heart was still beating, something else had stopped moving for quite some time.

Irma had stopped breathing.

_

* * *

_

To Be Continued...

_

* * *

_

A/N: A Little Translation...

'_Where am I…?_'

(**In the sewers of the city.**)

'_What the-who are you?_'

(**My name is of no importance; what matters now is whether you are willing to do what is necessary.**)

'_Say what?_'

(**You nearly died in attempting to save the Water Guardian, are you willing to do so again?**)

'_Of course I am!_'

(**Why?**)

'_…… Because I failed to save a life once before… I won't fail again…_'

(**Hmmm… I see that my brethren were right… The human spirit is something to be admired.**)

'_Brethren? What do you—_'

(**This is my last word to you human, heed it well.**)

**GUARD. **


	9. Memory’s Past

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Watches.)

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Watches.)

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Me: (Drinks some tea.)

Muses: (Run past.) AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! HEY! WAITAMINUTE! (Run back.) CORVUS!

Me: What?

Bahamut: How long have you been sitting there?

Me: The past few hours now. Why?

Mewtwo: You mean we've been running around for the past four hours for NO REASON WHATSOEVER?

Me: Yep.

Muses: (Glare.) Why you- (Collapse and fall alseep.)

Me: ... Well that was anti-climatic...

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER.

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Nine: Memory's Past

"Gott im Himmel! Irma, atmen verdammt ihn! Atmen Sie!" Axel quickly went into the processes taught to him by his father. Breathing air through Irma's mouth, Axel screamed deep in his mind not unlike how he had screamed before when he had been faced with death. That death created a wound deep inside his heart and if someone else were to die because of him… '_NEIN! NEIN, NEIN, NEIN! Ich lasse nicht niemand sonst Würfel überhaupt wieder! Nicht wenn ich alles habe, über es zu sagen!_' Suddenly, there was a cough of old air followed by a quick series of coughs that put a pause to Axel's use of CPR.

"She's breathing… Danken Sie Gott. Sie atmet…" Axel fell back onto his rear and breathed a sigh of relief even as Taranee knelt down next to him to check over Irma.

"We should get her to a hospital just in case she stops again." Taranee said.

"Ja…" Axel sighed again and collapsed into the realm of unconciousness where memories of the world around him still flared brightly across his mind.

* * *

It was only until after they had dragged the taller teen down seven flights of stairs that Axel chose to wake up, immediately asking for Irma and her condition. Once he had been properly reassured, Axel calmly asked that he be allowed to carry Irma the rest of the way to the hospital. At first, the girls were hesitant to let a blind guy carry their drugged friend even if he did turn into a monstrous Leviathan.

"Let him carry her, it'll make him feel better," said Bastian, his eyes flashing magenta for a millisecond. However, before Irma could be placed in Axel's arms, the sound of police sirens filled the air. Moving towards one of the non-boarded windows of the condemned building, Eduardo glanced down and saw the SWAT team from earlier rendezvousing with the regular police which including Irma's father and someone that Eduardo knew meant trouble.

"Oh _mon_… It's me mum!" The sounds of several trained police dogs barking filled the air. "She brought de dogs!"

"Oh man, are we in trouble or what?" muttered Hay Lin.

"Okay people." Axel's ears twitched as he listened in on Irma's father speaking with the other members of the police force. "We know that the giant snake is dead but whatever kidnapped my daughter is still on the loose! When you find it, do NOT kill it until we know where it took my daughter!"

"Chief… this thing… isn't it just a kid?"

"Whatever Axel Meestrom has become, he's no longer a human and thus cannot be treated like one."

"That's my son you're talking about!" Axel shivered at the fear in his mother's voice and turned away.

"Axel?" asked Will, noticing the taller teen's grimace. "What is it?"

"It's Heirelgart all over again…" mumbled Axel as he slowly sank to the ground. "I have to run again… even though I did nothing vrong this time…"

'_This time…?_' Bastian looked down at Axel before exchanging a look with Will. "I think we best stay hunkered up here for a while. Eduardo, how good would you say your mother's dogs are?"

Eduardo tapped his chin for a moment. "Well… They be pretty dang good but we be a smellin' different den otha people. Especially 'im." Eduardo pointed at Axel. "He smelled like a normal human 'efore he went mega-snake."  
"And now…?" whispered Axel, "Do I smell of fire and brimstone? Maybe even spilled blood and death?"

"Nah. Ya smell more like da sea ta me. I be smellin' of cinnamon and fire mon."

"Just outta curiosity, what do we smell like?" asked Cornelia. Eduardo looked towards the girls and noticed how they were looking at him and felt a large droplet of sweat fall down the back of his head.

"As dey say ta me mum, I be pleadin' the fifth!" Bastian sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Will they be able to smell out the girls though?"

"Nah. Will, Irma, and Taranee smell different than otha girls and dey wouldn't think ta look for de otha two."

Will's eyes narrowed and she leaned closer to Eduardo who leaned back in response. "What do you mean we smell different than normal?"

"Yeah! How come I don't?" Plenty of weird looks were shot at Hay Lin, "What?"

"I'll… explain at a betta time…" Before any of the girls could argue about this, Bastian sat down next to Axel.

"So… what's your story?"

"My story…?" asked Axel, his gray eyes still staring down at Irma's prone form even as the lights from the police cars flashed across his pale face.

"Yeah. I got a feeling that this isn't the first time you turned into that naga-like creature. Is it?"

Axel hesitated for a moment before whispering a soft, "No…"

"Want to talk about it? You'll find we're all very good listeners." Axel chuckled and lifted his head up to reveal his glimmering eyes.

"Talk. That seems all I'm capable of doing nowadays. Talk about the future, the now, but never the past… Only my parents ask me about the past and I have yet to tell them more than they already know. You know too, don't you? That I'm a monster."

"Not anymore so than Eduardo or myself." Axel blinked at that and turned his head to face Bastian.

"Vhat?"

"Eduardo and I turn into Beasts and we have powers that separate us from normal people too. I'm willing to bet that yours has to do with hearing doesn't it? That's how you're able to see." Axel blinked in surprise and swallowed.

"Ja. Ja it is… how did you know?"

"It was rather obvious after Irma told us how you caught her brother before he became roadkill." Axel flinched at Cornelia's tone and her choice of words, which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Axel, what happened that time when you transformed?" asked Taranee. Axel sighed and tilted his head back.

"Many things really. Vhen I first started gaining mein ability to hear like a bat, I started to get cocky… I could speak any language I vanted to and I used both my hearing and gift of tongue to run through more darker circles. Basically, I became vhat you could call a punk. I vas both a translator and lie-detector for many large gang groups in Germany and a few of the neighboring countries."

"You abused your powers?" exclaimed Will. "Why?"

"Because… because I could I guess… I needed money and I liked the feeling of respect that I got. I started and stopped many gang vars in Germany vith my parents and brother none the viser. Unfortunately… my blatant use of my powers brought some unvanted attention.

"It vas during one of the few times that I vas able to pick up mein kleiner Bruder from school. Ve vere heading home vhen one of mein contacts came up and spoke to me about an important meeting between the Schwarzwald and Weisswald gang…

* * *

_Flashback… _

_ "So you better show up otherwise there will be hell to pay with the Boss." Axel glared at Claude. _

_ "Thanks for the intel. You can leave now." But Claude's eyes were focused more on the young boy clutching Axel's sleeve. _

_ "Who's the kid?" _

_ "That's none of your business, Claude. Run back to Meyers and tell him I'll be there and he better pay me this time. I'm not doing this for charity's sake." Claude frowned and looked like he wanted to say something more but decided against it and walked off into the alleyways. Axel stood there, silently glaring at Claude's back until a soft voice spoke beside him. _

_ "Axel? Big brother, what was he talking about?" Axel suppressed a grimace and glanced down at his younger brother. _

_ "It's nothing to worry about, Kurti. Just something that I've got to take care of." Kurti, however, wasn't falling for it. _

_ "Axel, are you a bad guy?" Axel's pale blue eyes widened as he stared open-mouthed at Kurti. _

_ "Kurti… I'm not a bad guy! I just…" _

_ "Work for them?" _

_ "Yes. I don't do anything bad myself." _

_ "But you let other people get hurt!" _

_ "Kurti, what the gangs of Germany do is none of my or your business. C'mon, we best get home before mom throws a hissy." Axel headed down the cobblestone road towards their home even as Kurti shuffled along behind him. _

_ "Your eyes are clouded big brother…" Axel stopped and looked over his shoulder at his nine-year-old brother. _

_ "What?" _

_ "Your eyes are clouded by greed and selfishness. You are no better than the people you work for!" With that said, Kurti ran towards home, leaving a stunned Axel. _

_ "He's wrong…" muttered Axel. "I am better than them. I'm better than anyone." _

_ How wrong he would turn out to be. _

_

* * *

_

_ It was near midnight when Axel entered the abandoned windmill that served as neutral territory for the gangs of __Heirelgart and the rest of Germany. There only a few lanterns that brought light to the dark mill but Axel was used to it by now. He had been doing business meetings such as this one for months in the mill, ever since he could hear beyond the normal human range and understand any language. There wasn't a gang in all of Europe that hadn't heard of the human lie-detector who could crack any language code, even those barely a few hours old. Axel snorted a breath of warm air and glanced around. Where was everybody? There wasn't anybody at the door either; did they want everyone in the city to just waltz right in? _

_ "Meyers? Where are you, you idiot? Why don't you have anyone watching for the cops?" _

_ "**I'm SoRrY… MeYeRs CoUlDn'T jOiN uS tOdAy…**" The voice sounded strange even to Axel's ears. It was as though the speaker had breathed an entire tank of helium. _

_ "Who's there? If this is a setup, you'll be sorry." _

_ "**So YoU cAn UnDeRsTaNd Me… ThAt DoEs PrOvE a PrObLeM…**" A shadow moved just past Axel's line of sight. _

_ "For who exactly? Who are you?" The voice snickered and there was a faint flash of crimson in the shadows of the mill. _

_ "**Me? I aM nOtHiNg. YoU tHoUgH, aRe DeAd!**" A large glob of purple-colored gunk streamed through the air and hit Axel's eyes with a sickening squelch. Screaming in pain, Axel fell to his knees and clawed at the gooey substance that covered his eyes. _

_ "Axel!" Kurti's voice echoed faintly across Axel's pain filled mind. "Don't you hurt my big brother, you… you meanie!" _

_ "Kurti…?" hissed Axel, his teeth clenched in pain. "What are you doing here? Get out!" _

_ "**InTeReStInG bAcKuP yOu BrOuGhT hUmAn. A mErE cHiLd AgAiNsT mE, a SeRvAnT oF LADY YINODO.**" There was a swish of displaced air and a cry of pain from Kurti as he was lifted off the ground by the base of his neck. _

_ "Axel! Brother, run! Run—" _

_ CRACK. _

_ There was thud as something fell before Axel. Though his eyes were now clean of the gunk that had been sprayed upon him, Axel's eyes could not see what had fallen before him. His eyes, once a pale sky blue were nothing but a pale gray. _

_ He was blind. _

_ "Kurti?" murmured Axel. "Kurti, where are you?" He heard the sickening crack but he refused to believe in his ears and instead focused on finding his brother. Patting the ground in front of him until his trembling hands met his brother's face. _

_ And broken neck. _

_ "**SuCh A wAsTe… He WoUlD hAvE mAdE a GoOd HoSt To My BrEtHrEn…**" The voice spoke over Axel's shoulder. "**SuCh A sHaMe He HaD yOu FoR a BrOtHeR…**" _

_ "Claude…" hissed Axel. "It's his fault, but more than that, it's yours!" Axel's body erupted with twisted bright light as a reptilian roar burst out from his throat. Claws that were once human nails flashed through the air even as blinded eyes slowly regained their sight. There was a sound of something being ripped away with a sickening squelch and a pain-filled cry from Kurti's murderer. The murderer clutched the spot on his throat were his poison-sac once rested and gurgled a curse before fading away into the darkness, vowing revenge upon Axel. _

_ Whatever humanity that composed Axel flew away into the wind as the large incomplete form of the Leviathan reared up and smashed his way through the windmill, the lifeless body of his brother nestled in his arms. The Beast would terrorize the town of Heirelgart for the next twelve hours, injuring 129 people, causing several large amounts of property damage, and the deaths of every single gang-member in the five square mile area. It would be until the Beast confronted his human parents that he would revert back to his old form and weep with his brother still held in a tight embrace._

* * *

"… How many?"

"Two-hundred-and-three… just in Heirelgart alone…" Bastian sighed and leaned back against the crumbling wall that barely supported the condemned building.

"And you were aware?"

"Ja, but in control? Nein."

"But you didn't fight for it. Did you?" Axel lifted his face up and stared at Bastian, his eyes and face moist with his shedding tears.

"Vould you?" Bastian had no response for that. He had nearly killed for someone he loved once before and would have easily done so if Will had been killed by Uriah and his punks. He knew for a fact that Eduardo would do the same for Taranee. Heck, for all intents and purposes, Eduardo _did_ kill for her. Upon questioning, Nigel revealed that his brother hadn't been around for several days and had still yet to be seen. Whether or not Nekolas was in fact Nigel's brother Nicholas remained to be seen.

"After my parents learned about my deeds and vhat the cost had been, ve moved here and left the monster back in Germany… or so ve thought…"

"Is that why you call yourself a monster? Because you killed?" asked Hay Lin, her voice soft and caring.

"Nein… because I really vas no better than the people I vorked for. I let my brother die."

"You did not." Everyone's eyes widened and they all turned to stare at Irma who glared up at Axel. "You idiot."

"Irma? Irma, are you okay?" Axel carefully leaned over so that his pale eyes were looking down at Irma's blue ones.

"Other than a few splinters and a pounding headache, I'm fine." Irma murmured, her voice slightly hoarse. "Help me up wouldya?"

"Better not, whatever was in that dart could still be going through your blood and moving won't help it any." Irma glared at Taranee but complied anyway.

"Okay, okay. I'll stay still. … Why do I hear police sirens?"

"Your pop and me mum 'ave decided ta team up, apparently." Eduardo glanced outside. "Dey're going ta be checkin' dis buildin' pretty quick."

"Well how can we get out of here? There's too many people out there for any of us to use our powers," said Cornelia.

"We'll just have to hope that they move far enough away that we can simply float away via Draco over there," said Irma matter-of-factly.

"Draco? Oh that's rich," muttered Bastian.

"**It really is.**" The girls and guys stiffened and whirled about, trying to find where the voice had originated from.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" demanded Will.

"**You have no power over ME, witch.**" There was a flash of light and Will was abruptly shoved towards the window only to crash into Bastian instead.

"I don't know who or what you are but you just made a BIG mistake," hissed Bastian, his eyes glowing dangerously.

"**My name is of no importance to you, you can't even understand what I am saying!**"

"That," said Axel, "is where you're wrong." Standing to his full height, the German-born boy stared into the shadows. "I can understand you perfectly."

"**What sorcery is this? Marisodal never spoke of this!**" hissed the voice. Axel's hands tightened into fists.

"You're his mistress aren't you? You're Yinodo." There was a dark chuckle from the shadows before a knife flashed through the air on a course towards Irma's neck. Axel caught the blade before its jagged tip could even touch Irma's skin.

"**Heehee. Yes I am Yinodo, but you and everyone else in this miserable plane can call me master!**"

"I don't think so." Axel hurled the knife forward, back from whence it came and was satifised to hear the sound of the blade piercing flesh and the scream that soon followed it.

"**You CUT me! You actually HURT me!**"

"Consider that payback for my family, demoness."

"**Payback? PAYBACK? Oh, I'll show you payback you slimy meat-sac!**" The entire building began to rumble and shake as though a monstrous earthquake was occurring right beneath it. The wind howled across the sky even as bright bursts of lightning raked against the sky. Though this did frighten the Guardians, their male friends were not impressed. They could feel the falseness of Yinodo's tricks and were not fooled by them.

"No more tricks, Yinodo." Axel hissed. The Fang and Heart suddenly became alit with light as the human body that Axel had been born to became something far more ancient than all the seven seas. Shooting out through the window, Axel roared a symphony of stringed instruments as more seemingly natural disasters began to occur around him. Twisitng upwards towards the sky, Axel's serpentine body began to grow and lengthen to a size that soon overpassed all of Heatherfield and, eventually, the entire world.

With the world wrapped literally around his coils, Axel turned his ocean-colored eyes down towards the condemned building his friend were still in and roared at the still invisible Yinodo. Beams of pink and gold light shot out from the building and collided against the glowing dangler atop Axel's head. A liquid-like glow began to surround the appendage before spreading out along his serpentine body. Grinding his fangs together, Axel tilted back his head and roared a great symphony of stringed instruments that would put any conductor to tears.

Before the roar was even halfway through, Axel's body burst away into a great rainstorm that encompassed the entire planet. With every drop of water that came into contact the earth, a memory of what had occurred in the past few hours disappeared until, ultimately, all memory of it was wiped away. Even the memories of the events behind the catastrophe of Heirelgart disappeared into the falling rain that had been Axel.

As the rain continued to fall, Axel's musical roar played on throughout the great expanse of Earth until the last droplet of water fell.

* * *

Axel sighed to himself as he sat atop the ledge overlooking Heatherfield's only river. '_What is this river called anyway?_' Axel sighed again and reclined back against the tree that served as his thinking place. He knew what he could have done. He knew he should have done it but he could not wipe the memory of his younger brother from the minds of his parents. He knew that their pain would help him remember his brother's words to him.

He would not forget.

He heard her before she spoke. His hearing was sharper now; to the point that he could distinguish certain sounds and what produced them. Irma's heartbeat was no different.

"Guten tag, Irma."

"How'd you—Oh yeah. Bat-ears." Axel smiled despite himself.

"Vhat are you doing here?"

"Well, after we realized what you did we figured it would be best if we found you and talked about it."

"Ve?"

"Okay, me." Irma sat down next to him and wrapped her arms around her knees. Both were silent for some time. "I never did thank you."

"For vhat?"

"My lessons for one thing… and for saving me from Martin."

"Hmmm. What happened to him anyway?" asked Axel.

"Well, needless to say, when dad found out that he drugged me and attempted to attack you… Well, let's just say he'll be singing to Presley for a while." Axel's lips twitched as he kept in his laugh. He didn't deserve to laugh after what he had nearly done to his parents.

"It's okay you know. To let your parents forget some things." Axel smiled sadly.

"Some things yes, but I nearly viped out their memory of Kurti. How can I call myself his brother after nearly doing that?"

"Simple. You didn't do it, so you can call yourself that." Axel sighed and tilted his head back.

"You make it sound so easy Leibchen."

"Why do you call me that?"

"Vhat?"

"Liebchen. What does it mean?"

"I—Well I…" Irma smiled and rested her head against Axel's shoulder, surprising the taller teen enough to cause even the hair on his head to stiffen.

"I know what it means," whispered Irma. "For a while now actually."

Axel suddenly found it hard to breathe. "Um… for how long exactly?"

"Since you saved my brother. I looked up what you said to me after I started yelling at you." Axel mentally went over everything he had said during and after that event, and realized with a sense of dread that his goose was definitely cooked.

"Um… vell I—" There was a sound of a camera clicking.

"Ha! I knew I could get you to blush!" exclaimed Irma excitedly. Axel blinked a few times behind his sunglasses before he realized that he had been had.

"You… you…"

"Oh would you look at the time, I better be heading home now." Irma hastily rose to her feet and took off at a steady jog.

"IRMA MADISON LAIR! Wait until I get mein hands on you!" Axel took off after the fleeing Irma, a smile unknowingly appearing on his face. Irma laughed and looked over her shoulder at Axel. Maybe she should tell him that she really did know what he had said to her and all the other things he's called her since. Nah, best to get more blackmail material before any revelations could be made.

* * *

"Will she be okay?"

"(Click-Click-Click) She had her own power bounced back at her and one of Zeraiyek's daggers pierced her. (Click-Click) What do you think, Ianofe?"

"I think her attempt to win Magister Rerota's favor backfired that it did."

"Shut up. (Click-Click)."

"My, my… Do I detect a hint of envy?"

"Back off, Bactial. (Click-Click) It's your damn brother's fault that Yinodo's in this damn mess. (Click-Click-Click)."

"How dare you! My brother didn't do anything!"

"My point exactly! (Click-Click) He should have been making antidotes for his poisons instead of attempting to catch Mobena's eyes! (Click-Click)"

"What my brother does with his time is of no concern of yours, Rachano."

"(Click-Click) Nor do my feelings towards Yinodo fall under your own, Bactial. Go back to your slime-pits."

"Hmph. Shows how much I'm wanted around here." The stench of petulance departs quickly from the air as its source disappears without a sound.

"Do you like Yinodo, Rachano?"

"(Click-Click-Click-Click-Click) I would like for you to leave, Ianofe."

"Awwww… C'mon… answer the question." A flash of steel. "What do you think you're going to do with that?"

"(Click-Click) Damn you, you miserable little _child_. Leave me be."

"Fine, fine. Go back to your schemes and plans of treachery. See if I help you out in the future."

"(Click-Click) You may not help me, Ianofe… but I know someone who will. Someone more powerful than all five of the Beasts put together!"

* * *

_Jörmungandr_

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**Axel Anblik Meestrom **

**Age:** 13

**Eye Color: **Gray (Blind/Crew-cut)

**Hair**** Col****or: **Dark Blonde

**Height: **Six Foot Three

**Zodiac Sign:** Capricorn

**Beast: **Leviathan

**Symbol:** Rectangle with two lines crisscrossing and one dividing middle

**Represent:** Third Sense

**Primary Power: **Hyper-Advanced Sense of Hearing

**Secondary Power: **Gift of Tongues

**Favorite: **

Color: Ocean Green (Before Blindness)

Sport: Pool

Subject: History

Pastime: Painting

**Family:**

Father: Doctor (Hospital)

Mother: Lawyer (District Attorney)

Younger Brother: Kurti (Deceased)

**Po****pular Ornament: **Sunglasses, Fang Earring

**Quote:** "I can see with eyes unclouded, can you say the same?"


	10. The Fourth Release

Me: Whoa. I just realized I was behind in updating some of my stories!

Bahamut: Well you are currently working on a lot you know.

Mewtwo: And there's your wife and kingdom in Slumberland as well.

Poupoko: Chao.

Me: GASP! You're right, Poupoko! I do need a vacation with Camille! I'm off on a summer hibernation, be sure to update my stories for me! (Runs off.)

Mewtwo: He's gone for the entire summer...

Bahamut: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Poupoko: Chaaaao!

Muses: PARTY TIME!**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

A/N: CALEB IS FROM THE COMICS. NOT THE CARTOON.

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER.

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Ten: The Fourth Release

The Congregation would soon find out the truth; the Oracle knew this for a fact. Though Jörmungandr had wiped the memories of his reemergence on Earth from all the mundane humans, excluding the Guardians of the Veil and the select few that were now Huanglong and Fenrir respectively. The Five Beasts of Rakardnak were soon going to return in full and there would be nothing that the Oracle could do to stop the Congregation from finding out and, more than likely, capturing the Beasts in their human forms.

Not that the Oracle believed that either the Beasts or the Guardians would allow this without a fight.

The Oracle frowned and calmly floated upwards in the large meditation chamber that was his particular favorite amongst the vast numbers that were built in the great castle of Kandrakar. The walls of the chamber were decorated with many different pieces of art. This art was, in fact, stone pictures to what has been, what is, and what will be. It was the ancient markings that depicted the will-be that held the Oracle's interest. His clairvoyance had all but disappeared when concerning the future and it worried him to no end. He needed to know what was going to happen just so that he could take steps in preventing whatever darkness that was fighting for control.

When he had reached the level that he wanted, the Oracle was surprised to find that few of the stone tablets showed anything more than what he already knew. There were designs of all five Beasts before and after their human wards fully accepted and joined with them. The Beasts' chosen Guardians were even depicted on the great walls of the chamber but beyond that, further upwards past where even the Oracle had traveled, the walls were completely blank. For a moment, the Oracle thought that maybe, just maybe, these tablets had yet to be filled or that there wasn't anything else to see in this particular chamber. No matter how much he wished otherwise the Oracle knew the cold, unrelenting truth.

There was no future.

There was only Nothing.

* * *

Cornelia Hale was what some could call stuck-up and manipulative. Her love of clothes, styles, and popularity rivaled only her love of winning ice-skating competitions is what some would say. Unless they truly knew her, few could say they knew everything there was to know about the girl named Cornelia Hale. To her close friends she was everything that others have said and more. She is protective of her beliefs and of those that she calls her friends, even those who no longer think themselves as her friend.

But more than that, Cornelia Hale is a romantic whose heart and soul had been entwined with a boy before she had even met him on the physical plane. For most of her life, Cornelia had dreams of a young man whom had dreams of her for just as long. When they both met each other face-to-face, Cornelia felt as though she could soar to the moon and back again. Her love for Caleb shined brighter than the sun and burned just as hot in her soul.

Her despair over his death was like a black hole, a constant threat towards her well-being and happiness.

The Guardians never knew the ultimate truth behind Caleb. That he was nothing more than a golem that Phobos had created years ago. In fact, Caleb was his first golem and because of Phobos' inexperience in creating such a being, Caleb gained something that many golems have dreamed of for their entire lives.

Freedom.

However, this freedom only stretched so far and that limit was tied to Caleb's creator. For without his stolen power, Phobos was nothing more than a mere creature of Meridian. A lowly human whose power rested only in his ability to absorb other creatures' own. Without the power he had collected for near twenty years, Phobos had no power left in him to give life to his Whisperers, his most favored of golems.

Nor could he give life to his first golem, Caleb.

Caleb's death struck a blow to many people. For Eloyn, it was like losing a friend, for the now former rebels, they not only lost a leader, but someone that any one of them could call family. For the Guardians of the Veil, it was like losing a piece of the complex puzzle that made up their mystical lives. For Cornelia Hale, it was like her soul had been ripped in two. Her pain was something that no one would ever wish upon even the darkest of monsters.

Her pain was so great that, for a time, Cornelia's friends were afraid to leave her alone each silently fearing that the broken-hearted Guardian of Earth would do something dangerously drastic. Their fears could be justified only to a certain point for though her heart was deep in pain, Cornelia could never bring herself to pick up a blade let alone do the act that would end her time on the Middle Plane.

Something deep inside kept holding her back. That something could be called her conscience, maybe even the Heart of Kandrakar itself, but that would be denial on Cornelia's part. For whenever she gave thought to death, Cornelia would hear her beloved's voice echoing through her soul, telling her that nothing, not even the Veil, would separate them, just like he had promised her back when they first met.

However, there was one tiny fact that no one but the writer of Phobos' spell book and the Oracle knew about. The spells that Phobos used to create his golems required the essence of the creator so that the golem would be obedient. Unwilling to take a dangerous risk with his life on the first try, Phobos chose instead to take a large portion of another being's essence. So when Caleb the golem had died, the essence that gave him his freedom as well as his 'soul' flew back to whom it had originated from.

Whether the originator shared the memories of his golem remained for all to see.

* * *

_Two days after the Third Release… _

Cornelia sighed to herself for what seemed like the thousandth time in the past hour alone. She saw what was happening around her; she wasn't totally blinded by her despair. She knew of the love the poured between Bastian and Will, especially when they shared 'secret' kisses together. She saw the way that Eduardo looked at Taranee whenever he believed that she wasn't looking and the same looks that Taranee shot towards him. She heard the laughs and smiles shared between Axel and Irma as they told stories and jokes. If this inane pattern kept up, sooner or later Hay Lin would be experiencing similar effects, but worst yet, Cornelia herself would be 'partnered up' with a Beast as well.

Cornelia did not want anything of the sort. She knew where her heart and soul belonged, even if she did have a few doubts back when their relationship was just starting to form in the material plane. This conviction would remain firm in her heart until time itself was no more.

"Class, your attention please." Mr. Elric, their science teacher, tapped his desk with his right hand. "Before we cover the ingredients of the human body, I'd like to introduce a new student that'll be joining our class for the rest of the year." Mr. Elric turned his amber eyes towards the door of the room. A boy not much taller than Eduardo or Bastian stepped through the open door, his brown trench coat giving him a rather impressing image to most of the females in the room. For the Guardians, Cornelia especially, it was like a cold bucket of water had been thrown in their faces.

"Please join me in welcoming Samuel Caleb."

* * *

Cornelia stared at him throughout class and continued to stare at him at every available opportunity, not caring that anyone would easily notice her strange behavior. Even during lunch, Cornelia was more focused on Samuel than her food, much to her stomach's dismay.

"Corny, earth to Corny come in Corny." Cornelia bristled and turned heated eyes towards Irma.

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Well at least some of her priorities are still in control." Irma muttered.

"Are you okay, Cornelia?" asked Axel, a small frown on his pale face. "Your breathing is kind of… erratic."

"Oh come on! Don't tell me you girls haven't noticed!" Cornelia exclaimed loudly. The girls shuffled uncomfortably and exchanged concerned looks.

"We noticed…" Will hesitantly spoke. "But Cornelia… he can't be Caleb…"

"Actually, he can." Eduardo's grin widened. "Dat's 'is name ya know."

"No Eduardo, we mean it's not Caleb the golem." Taranee whispered to the accented boy.

"Golem?" Axel muttered. "But those couldn't possible exist. … Could they?"

"The same could be said about all of us," said Bastian. "But back to the topic at hand here; Cornelia even if he does look like this Caleb guy, that couldn't mean that this Caleb is the same one. You said he had tattoos on his face right? Where are they on this guy?" Cornelia frowned and glared angrily at the ground, which trembled slightly.

"I don't care; this is too much of a coincidence. He must have some sort of connection with the Caleb we knew. He must!"

"De Nile ain't jus' a riva ya know." Eduardo quipped, earning himself a heated glare from the blonde Earth Guardian.

"Fine! I'll prove it!" Cornelia stood up and marched her way towards Samuel. The boy was more engrossed in his nap amidst the branches of the tree than the blonde girl rapidly approaching him.

"Cornelia? What are you doing? Cornelia!" Said girl ignored her friends and approached the tree Samuel had chosen to rest in and froze both mentally and physically. He really did look like Caleb, minus the tattoos, and Cornelia could not help but feel a stronger sense of heartbreak. This boy, this Samuel, was a living reminder of who she had lost and though she spoke with confidence towards her friends, Cornelia had no such thing at the moment.

"Um… excuse me…" Cornelia mentally smacked herself. '_What the heck was that? I squeaked!_'

Samuel lazily opened a single eye and gazed down at her for but a second before closing it. "Yeah? Something ya want to apologize about Corn-Head?" Cornelia blinked once, twice, before glaring quite heatedly at the slightly taller boy.

"What did you call me!" she shrieked, her spark returning if for just a moment.

"Apologize. Ya know…" Samuel yawned and stretched his arms out to the side, so much like Caleb had done. "It's the act of asking for forgiveness for a wrong and all that jazz."

"Apologize?" Cornelia chose to ignore Samuel's obvious ignorance towards her ire. "For what?"

"Staring at me."

Cornelia's face flushed red faster than Will's own and she stuttered, "You knew?"

Samuel raised an eyebrow and shot her a what-do-you-think look. "Duh. I know my award-winning smile makes all kinds of girls wobbly in the knees but I never had one stare at the back of my head for as long as you have."

This wasn't Caleb, at least not the Caleb she knew and loved, Cornelia realized with a slow sense of coldness entering her heart. "You don't know me at all… do you…?"

"Nope, can't say that I do." Samuel shrugged and jumped down to land before her. Brushing stray twigs from his trench coat, he began to walk away. "See ya later Corn-Head."

Cornelia watched Samuel walk away, too in depth in her own pain to notice the slow hesitant steps he made as he walked away from her. Had he any awareness of the sad frown that found its way on his face, Samuel gave no heed to it and focused instead on getting as far away from the girl that gave him a sense of déjà vu unlike anything he had ever felt in the past few weeks since he had awoken.

Unbeknownst to either of the two teenagers, a pair of golden eyes was watching them with gleaming fangs dripping of saliva in anticipation of the upcoming hunt.

* * *

For the next few days, Cornelia followed Samuel wherever he went, trying vainly to find something, _anything_, that would link him to the Caleb she knew. However, most of her attempts were cut to the point thanks to either her friends disrupting her or Samuel discovering her. The later occurred more often than the former much to Cornelia's ire and dismay. How could she find out if he was Caleb reincarnated if he kept pushing her away?

So Cornelia tried another tactic; if he wouldn't let her follow him, she'd just make him follow her. Unfortunately, even with her face looking as beautiful as ever, Cornelia could not get Samuel alone long enough for her to interrogate him. Though she was pleased by the way he reacted whenever she touched him, it wasn't enough. She needed the truth and she needed it now!

So it was that Cornelia found herself standing before one of Heatherfield's homeless shelters. Imagine her surprise at finding Mr. Tough-As-Nails was in fact a big softy at heart and was one of the shelter's biggest helpers, frequently dropping in to help with the distribution of food and clothes among the needy. Silently speaking a quick prayer, Cornelia stepped forward and entered the shelter, Caleb's first gift to her.

This gift was, to be specific, first made by Cornelia herself. Back when they first met, and departed, Cornelia had shed a tear in sadness at having lost the love she had gained just hours earlier. Caleb, however, merely smiled through her sadness. He merely took her tear gently from her face. He asked her if she knew what it was and she answered by saying it was a tear, though her voice held her confusion. Caleb had merely shook his head and whispered that it wasn't a tear; it was a promise that not even the Veil would separate them. Using powers that Cornelia didn't know he had, Caleb had altered her tear into a crystalline flower and gave to her as a sign of that promise.

Even now, after his death, the flower remained pure in form and beauty.

Shuffling past the homeless patrons of the shelter, Cornelia quickly headed towards where she knew Samuel was cataloguing the recent income of canned food that had recently been delivered to them. Slowly opening the door, Cornelia was glad to see that Samuel was alone in the large room that was filled near to the brim with boxes of donations. The door quickly ruined her chance of getting close to Samuel with its loud squeaking that emanated from its rusty hinges. Samuel's head shot up and he glared past the large beams of sunlight that shone through the room's large windows.

"You _again_? What do I have to get you to leave me alone? A restraining order?"

"Listen. I know that I've been nothing short of annoying to you—"

"Annoying? Corn-Head, you went past annoying the day you started following me around the city! Don't ya have a boyfriend or something?" Cornelia flinched and stared down at the dusty floor.

"Look, I just want to know the truth."

"What truth?" asked Samuel, exasperated despite himself. "Look, I don't know you okay? Get that through your blonde—" Cornelia shoved her hands forward, displaying her crystalline flower. "What—?"

"Do you know what this is?" she questioned him. "Please tell me the truth!" Samuel stared at her weeping face before turning chocolate brown eyes towards the transparent flower resting in her hands. Samuel sighed and hesitantly raised his hand and touched the crystallized tear for just a brief second before stepping away from it and Cornelia, gasping for breath.

"Jeez!" Samuel stumbled backwards and held his forehead in both hands. "It couldn't be!"

"You recognize this don't you? You know me don't you?" Cornelia stepped forward even as Samuel stumbled back, away from her advancing form. "Do you remember me at all, Caleb? Our dreams? Our kisses? Our love? Any of it?" Samuel's back met with the concrete wall and with the stockpile of boxes on either side of him he had no means of escape.

Eyes wide, Samuel prayed for some means of escape from this situation that he had somehow found himself in when the window across from shattered into minute pieces. A large metallic arrow had burst through the glass and was heading straight towards his heart. Time seemed to slow down as Samuel watched the darkly shining bolt of steel make its way closer and closer to him. The arrow would have most likely killed Samuel had Cornelia not turned about and let it pierce her own heart instead. Samuel's face blanched even as Cornelia's lifeless form fell to the ground in a nerveless heap. Her crystal flower, her gift from her soul mate, fell to the hard floor and shattered away into dust as its creator breathed out her last breath.

"BRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	11. The Behemoth’s Soul

Bahamut: Ahem, Corvus, while still in Slumberland, would like me to briefly explain what Samuel Caleb looks like. He looks just as Caleb does in the cartoon, not the comics though the clothes match the comic-version. Nuff said.

Mewtwo: BAHAMUT! Come help me with this disco ball! I may be psychic but even I can't have my mind on thirty separate things at once!

Poupoko: Chao aoch CHA!

Bahamut: Alright, alright. Big babies...

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Eleven: The Behemoth's Soul

The beast bellowed a great bovine cry before bending down on his great shaggy knees and carefully taking the dark arrow out from his Guardian's chest before lifting her lifeless form in his great arms. She was dead because he could not save her. He would not let her body lay here, away from the other Guardians, he would bring her to the others and when he was sure of her body's safety, the beast would make her killer pay.

Bringing his great horned head down, the beast bellowed a warlike cry before charging forward and slamming through wall after wall of the homeless shelter, not caring in the least of the damage he was doing nor the fear he was inspiring in the humans that he had charged past. The beast continued his stampede into the busy intersection, completely heedless of the many cars that he was literally plowing right through. Even running, his shaggy fur could not help but notice the faint difference in the air that had him dodging to the side to avoid the rain of arrows.

Snarling, he turned and glared with pupil less eyes up towards the roof of the abandoned building that his fellows and Guardians had sought refuge in once before. Though his eyesight was not the best, he could easily spot the colorless void that continued to rain arrows down upon him and his Guardian. Bellowing, the beast brought up a heavily muscled leg before slamming his cloven hoof down onto the pavement. A long series of cracks spread outwards from him, heading closer and closer to the abandoned building. A fierce rumble sounded at the exact moment the cracks came into contact with the already unstable skyscraper.

The beast watched with sadistic glee as the building collapsed on itself, sending large plumes of dust in the air.

* * *

Yan Lin stared down at Will's open palm where the lightless Heart of Kandrakar rested. "How long has it been like this?"

"For almost an hour now. I'm too worried by what it means to transform." Will whispered to the elder woman. Bastian too was holding his medallion of power, which was reacting in a very different fashion from the Heart. The Fang of Rakardnak was flickering with golden light, much like it had done when Eduardo and Axel had transformed. Though he too realized the pattern that was occurring with the transformations, Bastian did not want to give voice to the idea that something had happened to Cornelia, who hadn't decided to join them at the restaurant for their weekly meeting as Irma liked to call it. Suddenly, all three boys suddenly stiffened, all for different reasons. Taranee, being the closest to them and less distracted by the Heart and Fang, looked at Eduardo.

"Eduardo? What's wrong?"

"I be smellin' sometin…"

"What?"

"Earth… perfume…" Eduardo sniffed at the air, his hair faintly flashing red. "And blood…"

"Vhatever it is," spoke Axel, his ears suddenly sharper and pointier. "It's moving quickly towards us."

"But it's not injured…" murmured Bastian, his eyes glowing magenta. "And I don't sense anything else that is…"

Axel suddenly stiffened. "EVERYONE GET DOWN!" The boys reacted purely on instinct and grabbed their respected Guardians and dragged them to the floor even as the two Lins did the same. There was a crash of plaster and glass with a huge cloud of dust billowing into the Silver Dragon. Coughing and rubbing the dust from his eyes, Eduardo glanced up at a large hulking form he had only seen in film and cartoons.

A minotaur.

The shaggy beast snorted again and glared down at Eduardo with pupil less eyes before turning his head towards Bastian and Will, both of whom were already on their feet. The minotaur took two heavy steps forward and leaned down so that the form in his arms was revealed.

Cornelia.

Bastian quickly enwrapped Cornelia's body in psych-energy and moved her to rest atop one of the undamaged tables. Her bleeding wound and pale face told him and the others all they needed to know. Even as the girls went into a state of shock, Bastian, Eduardo, and Axel turned to the minotaur. The minotaur snarled and backed away, his fur bristling. Suddenly, the furry beast turned on his heel and stampeded out through the same way he came in.

"Vhat do ve do? Go after him?"

"No. We have more important things to worry about," Bastian turned saddened eyes to Cornelia and her weeping friends. "Like what to tell Cornelia's family…"

* * *

The minotaur had been running for what seemed like hours, until he finally came to a stop atop the cliff-face overlooking the canyon that lied just outside Heatherfield. The earth was guiding him, helping him find Cornelia's killer. The shaggy minotaur snorted a steamy breath of air and made to move down towards the canyon when he suddenly dodged to the side just as an arrow imbedded itself where he was standing. Growling, the horned beast turned his white eyes towards the figure that had launched the arrow at him. The figure was humanoid but the beast could not easily discern anything else. It was as though the hunter had no form to call its own on this plane.

"**I must admit that you proving to be weaker prey than before, Old One.**" The figure drew another arrow and aimed. "**I had hoped to at least make a satisfying kill in this endeavor.**"

The minotaur bellowed a bovine-like cry and charged forward, his horns held at ready even as the figure launched several arrows into his bushy hide. Though he was aware of the pain, the minotaur did his best to ignore it until he was within striking distance of the hunter. However, before his iron-like horns could pierce the hunter's chest, a strong gust of pure power blew the minotaur away from the hunter and onto his back.

Sweet oblivion was a welcome diversion from the hailstorm of arrows that rained down upon him.

* * *

'_Release me, monster!_'

(**You have a lot of nerve to call me that, human.**)

'_What are you? Why have you taken control of me like this?_'

(**Because you deny what you know and what you are, and only I can get the job done right.**)

'_I don't deny who I am!_'

(**Really? Then why have you ignored your heart for so long?**)

'_My heart has nothing to do with you, monster!_'

(**That's where you are wrong human! I have seen more than you can ever hope to see in a thousand lifetimes and if there's one thing I can't stand it's weakness of the heart!**)

'_I am not weak of the heart!_'

(**Then speak the truth!**)

'_I am Samuel Caleb!_'

(**So what? Is there nothing else?**)

'_… No… there is something else._'

(**…?**)

'_I am Samuel Caleb, soul mate of Cornelia Hale forever and a day._'

(**Heheheheh. Guess I was wrong about you kid. You're not as bull-headed as the rest of your kind.**)

'_Look who's talking. Who are you anyway?_'

(**My name is of no importance now. Just heed my final word to you.**)

(**SHIELD.**)

* * *

The hunter sighed to himself. This was proving to be a pointless hunt after all. He had hoped that even with his powers inhibited that the Old One would be strong enough to provide decent challenge. Though he lusted for the kill, the hunter found no such joy in this hunt.

That didn't mean he would let his prey live though.

Drawing another arrow, the hunter glared down at his unconscious prey. "**You never did learn of my name when last we fought, Old One. As I parting gift, I give it to you.**" The hunter pulled the string back. "**You were hunted by Lerkraxe.**" The arrow was released and impacted heavily into the dry stone of the ground. "**What the?**" His prey was gone. His prey was GONE!

"**Do you think you can flee from me, Old One?**" Lekraxe circled about, not caring that the Beast couldn't understand a word he said. "**You're only delaying the inevitable!**"

(**_SHUT UP!_**) The earth beneath Lekraxe began to tremble and shake as a monstrous Beast began to burst from the ground. With a body and head not unlike an ox, the Behemoth stood on his feline legs even as his serpentine tail whipped through the air behind him. His quill-like fur, colored not much different than the rocks and gemstones that made up his Guardian's element, quivered as human eyes glared down at the corporeal hunter.

"**So you've finally awakened, Old One.**" Lekraxe smirked and drew forth his favorite weapon, a large spear whose blade and staff were made of the same materials as his arrows. "**This will be a worthy hunt after all!**"

Samuel bellowed an orchestra of drums and charged forward, his head low enough to the ground for his horns to rip through the earth even as it shook to his heavy footsteps. Lekraxe jumped upwards above Samuel's head, thinking he had dodged the Behemoth's attack. That thought flew faster than Samuel's tail, which smacked Lekraxe deep into the canyon. Samuel snorted and turned about before stampeding towards the large gap between the canyon walls. Bellowing another symphony of drums, Samuel jumped into the gap and landed with enough force that there wasn't a single person on earth who didn't feel the tremor.

"**Cough! Cough! So… you've learned since our last hunt.**" Lekraxe readied his spear. "**You may not be in ****Korauk but I have more than enough power to take you to pasture!**"

(**_Murderer. You're nothing more than a murderer. I saw what those arrows of yours have killed, monster. I saw the lives you took, but more than that, you took away my soul mate!_**) Samuel raised himself up on his hind legs. (**_I will have my revenge even if it means my death as well!_**) Bellowing a fierce drumming, Samuel slammed his forefeet heavily into the ground, sending wave after wave of geometric and magusmetric energies towards. Lekraxe was not familiar with this form of attack from the large Behemoth and with little space and form to maneuver; he had not chance of escaping the attack.

As he flew through the air, Lekraxe's body, or at least portions of it, suddenly became solid and defined enough for Samuel to see just what the hunter claimed as a prize from his victims. Tied to Lekraxe's chest belt was a series of crystalline baubles not unlike what he had created in his spare time. However, it was what was resting inside one of the baubles that held all of Samuel's attention.

Cornelia's soul.

Lekraxe moaned and started to sit up when Samuel slammed his forefoot down upon the hunter's legs, breaking them several times over. Ignoring the screams that came from Lekraxe's corporeal face, Samuel growled, (**_Give her back._**)

"**Wha-What magic is this? How can you do this?**"

(**_I won't repeat myself to you, monster._**) Samuel lowered his head enough for his salivating fangs to hover above Lekraxe's face. (**_Release her or I'll make a meal out of your head!_**)

"**You want her?**" Lekraxe carefully unhooked Cornelia's gemstone. "**Go get her!**" Lekraxe tossed the glass-like gem high up into the air.

(**_CORNELIA!_**) Samuel leaned back onto his hind legs and carefully caught the gem-prison that held his beloved's soul inside even as Lekraxe faded away, back into Korauk. Carefully rolling the gem down his nose and into his padded palm, Samuel's Behemoth body crumbled away into dust and gravel until only the human inside him remained.

"Cornelia…" Samuel whispered to the gem. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

As the sun began to set off on the horizon, Samuel fell to his knees and wept for the love he had found and lost all in one day.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	12. Souls Entwined

Mewtwo: Disco ball?

Bahamut: Check.

Mewtwo: Assorted dipping snacks?

Poupoko: Chao.

Mewtwo: Various assortments of soda with enough sugar and caffeine to have everyone bouncing off the walls like a Marsupilami?

Marsupilami: HOO-BA!

Mewtwo: ... Okay, who let him in here?

Bahamut: Better him than Stitch I say.

Stitch: ALOHA!

Poupoko: (You were saying?)**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Twelve: Souls Entwined

It was already past nightfall when Samuel Caleb entered the Silver Dragon Restaurunt, completely oblvious to the closed sign on its front door. His eyes were heavy and downcast as he shuffled forward until he reached the others. They stared at him, all with varying degrees of emotions on their faces. Sadness was the prominent emotion in their hearts, but their was anger in some of them, especially in Irma who stood up and slapped Samuel straight in the face.

"Where were you!" she hissed as tears fell down her face. "Where were you when this happened? Do you even care? DO YOU!" Irma made to slap him again only for Axel to take her wrists gently in his hands.

"Enough, Liebling… ve're all hurting…"

"Not him!" she yelled, her eyes glaring at Samuel's downcast face. "He didn't care one bit about Cornelia! Otherwise he would have saved her! He would have cared!"

"Irma…" Hay Lin whispered. "Samuel did—"

"No…" Samuel whispered. "She's right… Cornelia died because I didn't care. Because I continued to lie and deny myself and my heart…"

Bastian eyed Samuel knowingly. "You remember now I take it?"

"Yes… I remember everything since Phobos created my golem to when it died."

"Bastian?" Will murmured. "You knew?"

"You forget, I know a lot when it comes to mythical stuff. When you told me about Caleb, I looked up everything there was to know about golems and I found out the chief ingredient. Essence of the creator."

Axel nodded. "Ja. It is the essence of the soul that is needed for the golem to work properly."

"How did you know that?" asked Irma.

"I'm Jewish, leibe. Golems came from our myths and legends."

"Anyway," Bastian nodded his head. "Phobos must have been too scared by the idea to use his own soul and used Samuel here. Though I am surprised that there weren't any side-effects…"

"There were." Samuel whispered as he sat down beside Cornelia's body. "There were…" Samuel stared at Cornelia's pale face before reaching into his pocket to pull out the gemstone that still held her soul.

"Whoa…" Eduardo gaped at the shining stone in awe. "W'at is dat?"

"Cornelia…" murmured Samuel. "That murderer took her soul from her after he killed her… I'm too afraid of what might happen if I break it open…"

"You mean to say that Cornelia's soul is trapped in that gem?" Irma screeched angrily. "Why not bust it open?"

"Because I don't know what'll happen to her soul, if it'll shatter with her prison or be sent to the After—I don't know!" Samuel bent his head down and wept. "I don't know…"

There was the sound of static before the haunting melodies of a piano came over the radio system that was installed throughout the restaurant portion of Hay Lin's home. The radio was young enough to work but old enough that it could only pick up a few channels, oriental music being one of them fortunate enough. However, the song that began to play should not have been coming through.

"_How can you see into my eyes like open doors?  
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb…  
Without a soul (without)  
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
Until you find it there and lead it back… home…_"

Samuel and the others were staring up at the hidden speakers, all their eyes wide with shock and confusion. Bastian turned to Will, a questioning look in his eyes. Will merely shook her head and shrugged; it wasn't her powers effecting the radio. But if it wasn't Will doing it, who was?

"Cornelia…?"

"_Wake me up inside  
(Can't wake up…)  
Wake me up inside  
(Save me…)  
Call my name and save me from the dark  
(Wake me up…)  
Bid my blood to run  
(I can't wake up…)  
Before I come undone  
(Save me…)  
Save me from the nothing I've become…_"

Samuel was up and standing by the time the second stanze had reached its middle portion. He knew that Cornelia was somehow communicating to him telling him how he could rescue her soul if nothing else. He just needed a clue. '_Please, my love… please tell me what to do…_'

"_Now that I know what I'm without…  
You can't just leave me…  
Breathe into me and make me real,  
Bring me to life…_"

The radio system went dead leaving the restaurant in stunned silence. Yan Lin sighed to herself and looked towards Samuel, her eyes calculating and questioning all at once. She understood the message Cornelia had somehow sent to them, but did Samuel?

Apparently, he did for he quickly, but gently, set the gem-prison down atop Cornelia's chest and leaned down to place his lips gently atop her own. With a sudden burst of musical symphony, the Heart and Fang alighted themselves with near overpowering light. For the briefest moment in time, the human boys were gone from existence until the four Beasts stood where they once were. The Behemoth tilted back onto his hind legs and bellowed an orchestra of drums as the other three accompanied him in their own musical vocalizations. Glowing neon light surrounded the Behemoth's hands just as similar light surrounded the Efreet's antlers and the Leviathan's angler. Golden light erupted in thin streams from the Dragon's maw and, together, the quadro of lights shot up through the roof and into the starlit sky and erupted with a symphony of music.

And once again, time, memory, sickness, and now life was given a fierce turn as the powers of the four Beasts worked to fix the wrong that Lekraxe had committed. Unlike before, the entirety of the world was not effected; only the small portions of the city where those that knew of Cornelia's death were crying their sorrows. Cornelia's family had been informed of her death and though they weren't home initially to hear the message on their answering machine, when they did they tried to find out whether or not the call was true. When they realized the truth they broke down, finding support only in each other.

Now that support was no longer needed as time rewounded itself around the answering machine, wiping its tape clean, as clear raindrops plipped out every memory involved with Cornelia's death. The white fires of the Efreet were swirling in heated circle around his antlers, waiting for that single beat of Cornelia's heart. That beat was made anew thanks to the powers of the Behemoth, his breath once taking thousands of lives, now restored the one life that he held dear even as the gem-prison that held his Guardian's soul shattered into nothing. The white fires shot forth and restored the rest of Cornelia's injured body, making a once mortal wound nothing more than a faded scar.

With her first gasp of air, the Beasts instantly reverted back to their human forms, three of them collapsing to the ground. With the girls' attention more focused on their near-unconscious friends, Samuel's escape went nearly unnoticed.

"Oh my aching head…" muttered Bastian.

"Your head? Vhat about mine? Auch, Gott im Himmel, anyone got aspirin?" Axel sat up and clutched his head as Eduardo did the same.

"Mon, w'at did we _do_?"

"Saved my life that's what! God, what does a girl have to do to get some food around here?" Eight wide pairs of eyes focused on Cornelia who was sitting on the table looking weirdly at them. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"CORNELIA!" Four female projectiles launched themselves at the blonde, latching onto her arms, legs, and neck like overgrown leeches, all crying and speaking incoherently. The boys merely exchanged bemused looks with one another before wincing and pressing a hand to their foreheads.

Bastian sighed and slowly stood to his feet only to be knocked flat on his back by his red-headed girlfriend glomping his neck. Still speaking incoherently, Will planted several kisses on Bastian's blushing face before kissing him on the mouth. Bastian's face went redder than his girlfriend's hair in under two-tenths of a second before he kissed her back with equal passion.

Though he couldn't see it, Axel heard the sounds of his friends' kissing and merely sighed before pushing himself off the ground with his cane. If he had his ears more focused, Axel would have heard the hurried footsteps that came towards him. As it was, Axel had no chance to duck as Irma launched herself at him, her lips and his own coming into contact with a near inaudible smooch.

Eduardo's ever-present grin widened at the sight of the ever-pale Axel turning redder than a cherry. Oh how he wished for a camera. Suddenly, the dark-skinned teen felt a pair of lips touch his cheek. Eyes wider than dinner plates, Eduardo turned his head to stare at the blushing Taranee in shock. Suddenly, Eduardo's grin reached a greater width that he thought he thought impossible and began to dance a mad series of moves.

"Whoopee!" Taranee hid her face behind her hands, not only to hide her blush but her small smile as well.

"Goofball…"

"I must say," murmured Yan Lin, running a hand along the fixed wall of her family's restaurant. "You do nice work, Bastian."

Though slightly dazed from Will's kiss, Bastian had enough wits about him to nod. "Uh thanks…"

"You shoulda seen it, Cornelia!" exclaimed Hay Lin excitedly. "Bastian and the guys turned into their Beast forms and saved you! Even Caleb! I couldn't say what creature he was though…" Cornelia's attention, however, wasn't focused on her friend's words. Instead, her eyes and heart were focused on the open door.

* * *

Samuel sighed and leaned heavily against the stone gargoyle that rested amongst others of its kind atop the clock tower of Heatherfield. Glancing at the gargoyle beside him, Samuel couldn't help but wonder how, in his golem's memory, its position was different. The memory distinctly spoke of the gargoyle with its fangs bared and claws held at ready, not in some Thinker-pose. '_Oh well…_' Samuel turned his eyes to the rising sun. '_Memories change over time…_'

But some remained true to form… Too many to point a fact…

* * *

_Flashback… One month ago, a few hours before the Final Battle against False-King Phobos…_

_ Caleb calmly walked up the stairs of the clock tower, still in slight awe of the strange familiarity that accompanied his first visit to Earth. Caleb sighed and paused for a moment. He needed to tell Cornelia the truth of what he was but if he told her too much, would she do what she must to save Meridian and, in effect, her best friend Eloyn? She wouldn't, he knew it to be true. Her love for him would greatly hinder her judgment and she would not allow the others to destroy Phobos' power, let alone the False-King himself. Taking a breath to steady himself, Caleb opened the door of the clock-face of the tower and stepped out into the breezy sky. What he saw took his breath away. _

_ Cornelia was calmly sitting next to a stone gargoyle, watching as the sun slowly began to set up on the far horizon. With the sun alighting her like it was, Cornelia looked nothing short of the angel Caleb always knew she was since he was created. Finding his confidence vanished away; Caleb merely walked up to her and sat down on the opposite side of the gargoyle. _

_ "It's beautiful isn't it?" Caleb glanced over towards the Earth Guardian. _

_ "Yes. It's beautiful." His eyes never left Cornelia's face, causing her to blush slightly. "How did you come to find this place?" _

_ "It was on accident really." Cornelia's eyes slightly glazed over as the memory replayed itself in her mind. "A kite I had made for the last spring festival ended up flying into this gargoyle's claws. Since no one bothers to lock the doors to this tower, it was easy for me to get in and climb up here. I fell in love with the view of the city." _

_ Caleb looked down at the city, where lights were already starting to switch on and illuminate against the darkness. "The view is nice… but I would rather look at you." Cornelia smiled softly to herself, but frowned suddenly. _

_ "Caleb, I don't want to come with us." _

_ "What?" _

_ "When we go to fight Phobos, I want to know that I can fight without worrying about you." _

_ Caleb smiled on the outside, but inside he was berating himself. "Isn't that my line?" _

_ Cornelia smirked. "Get some powers of your own and we'll see if you can say any such thing to me. I am hardheaded you know." But he did have powers; she knew of them. She had seen how he had created a crystal flower out of her teardrop, but she did not know that he possessed more than that. _

_ Far too much for a golem. _

_ "Cornelia… no one is safe from Phobos, not even you or the Guardians. I must do what I can in the fight." _

_ "But why? You don't have to throw your life away!" _

_ "My life is mine to throw, dear-heart." Caleb reached across the gargoyle and took Cornelia's hand in his own. "How would you feel if I was off fighting and you were left behind?" _

_ "… Blast you…" Tears were running down her face, but Cornelia still smiled softly. "I knew you were my soul-mate but I didn't know you were stubborn too." _

_ Caleb smiled. "Like attracts like, dear-heart." There was a mutual silence between them for a few minutes. "Cornelia, I have something to tell you." _

_ "Hmm?" _

_ "I… I," Caleb sighed. "I told you once that the Veil would not divide us; I want to strengthen that by promising you that nothing will divide us. Nothing." _

_ "Caleb…" _

_ "C'mon…" Caleb stood to his feet and hopped down off the gargoyle's pedestal. "We best be joining the others at Honorable Lin's restaurant before, how did she put it… Ah, before they make us take a cold shower." Cornelia blushed to the roots of her hair and merely nodded before taking Caleb's hand in her own and walking beside him through the clock-face of the tower. _

_ Neither of them saw the cracks emanating from the stone gargoyle and his fellows._

* * *

Samuel sighed and thumped his head against the gargoyle. He nearly fell flat on his face when he heard a very familiar voice speak from behind him, "You were going to tell me then weren't you?"

Samuel whirled about to see none other than, "Cornelia! How did you—"

"This is our spot. Remember?" Though she knew the truth, Cornelia was still hesitant and fearful of his answer.

"Yes… I remember everything…" Samuel sighed and slowly fell down to sit on the hard stone floor of the clock tower's roof, Cornelia sitting down beside him. "I suppose I have a lot of explaining to do don't I?"

"Not a lot." Cornelia glanced up at the face of the clock. "Bastian told us how golems were made." Samuel shivered despite himself.

"I still can't believe that's what caused it…"

"Caused what?" Samuel glanced at Cornelia to see her looking at him, confusion evident in her pale blue eyes.

"Cornelia, the entire time my golem existed… I was in a coma."

"What?" Cornelia gasped. "But why?"

"Phobos, that greedy son of a jackal, took a larger amount of my essence —my soul— than what he himself would take of his own, just to see what would happen to the supplier. For nearly five months, I was in a coma yet completely able to hear what was going on around me. It's really a miracle that I didn't go insane… being immobile for so long…

"When I woke up, my parents were overprotective of me to the point that it took little Alice to get them to back down enough to let me do what I used to before it happened… Heh, I actually owe my sanity to Alice really. She kept visiting me at the hospital, talking to me. Heck, she even read me some of my textbooks. Not that she understood them…"

" Alice?" Cornelia's spine stiffened. "Who's Alice?"

"My sister." Samuel smirked at her. "No need to feel jealous, Corn-Head."

"I am not jealous."

"Currently, no, but don't deny that you were for a moment there."

"Fine, fine," said Cornelia, "I was jealous. Happy?"

"Yeah…"

"So you've done it before? Charity and all?"

"Yep."

"So… how'd you remember…?"

"The dreams? Or you?"

"Both." Samuel sighed and closed his eyes tiredly, the sun gaining higher altitude behind him.

"I still had the dreams, before and after I fell into a coma… I just… chose not to believe in them. It was stupid and selfish of me to deny my soul like that and I am sorry for the pain I caused you Cornelia, I really am." Samuel's eyes were moist as were Cornelia's own.

"Just two questions left… What happened when you touch my—our flower?"

Samuel smiled self-depreciatingly. "It's one of my 'gifts'. My sense of touch is beyond the extreme. I can literally _feel_ someone talking a block or so away. Fortunately, I can control it enough that pain is not so much an issue.

"As for the flower…" Samuel glanced up at the clock-face. "I can see the past through an object's 'eyes' and since the flower was made from your tears… I saw everything you've ever seen before you cried in front of Caleb, and everything after."

Cornelia blushed bright red. "Everything?" she squeaked. Samuel quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked.

"Being nice to you sister isn't against the law you know. That and those poems you made are quite nice. … For a Corn-Head."

"Caleb—"

"Samuel. My last name is Caleb but I prefer to be called by my first." Samuel interrupted her, his tone still teasing.

"Samuel… I don't want to play this game with you. Just, tell me the truth," Cornelia begged. "Do you love me like you did before?"

"… No." Cornelia smiled sadly as a fresh set of tears fell down her face.

"I thought as much…" She stood to her feet and made her way to the door when Samuel spoke up.

"I can't love you like before because I wasn't complete before." Samuel stood and hugged her from behind. "Before, I could never say what I want to say now…"

"And that is…?" Cornelia whispered.

"That I love you, Cornelia Hale, with all of my heart and soul." Cornelia still wept, but her tears were now tears of happiness. She twisted about and wrapped her arms around Samuel's neck and cried into his shoulder even as his own tears fell into her hair.

"Promise me… Promise me you won't ever leave me again."

"I promise, dear-heart. I said nothing would separate us and I meant it." Samuel gently kissed her forehead. "I love you too much not to come back."

* * *

"HE DID WHAT?"

"No need to screech so, Nekonari. Lekraxe isn't dead."

"Oh but he will be when I'm throw with him! Nyao! That adrenaline-thirsty idiot was careless _again_! NYAO!"

"… He's an odd one."

"He? I thought Nekonari was a she?"

"Who can tell? How are your wounds by the way?"

"Better than before. By tell me, why are you here, Zeraiyek?"

"Is it so wrong for a doctor to check on his patient?" The sound of large pincers snapped in the air.

"It is when it's you."

"Fine, fine. Rachano sent me to tell you that Magister Rerota has spoken with Mobena. Magister Rerota wants her to deal with the Watcher."

"Mobena? But I thought she was dead."

"… I see my poisons are still affecting your brain, my dear. Mobena has _always_ been dead." A lethal glare delivered from tricking eyes.

"Oh shut up! You know what I mean! I thought that unless whatever it the object in question was dead, Mobena would have nothing to do with it."

"Normally, she wouldn't but something Magister Rerota said has her pretty spooked." The pincer-snapping sounds increased in frequency. "I do wonder what Master Rerota is planning… I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me?"

"And break my oath to the Magister? I think not!"

"Pity. I had hoped you would cooperate."

"Zeraiyek, what are you doing? Keep your stingers away from me!"

"This will hurt only a second my dear, and you won't even remember any of it when it's all over."

The sound of blood-curdling screams echo across the plane, catching several beings' attention. But only one chose to speak.

"(Click-Click) Yinodo…? (Click-Click)"

* * *

_Tarasque_

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**Samuel Laterre Caleb**

**Age:** 14

**Eye Color: **Brown

**Hair Color:** Dark Brown (Cartoon style)

**Height: **Five Foot Nine

**Zodiac Sign:** Taurus

**Beast: **Behemoth

**Symbol:** Diamond with dot in center

**Represent:** Second Sense

**Primary Power: **Advanced Sense of Touch

**Secondary Power: **Clairvoyance With Inanimate Object's Past

**Favorite: **

Color: Yellow (Same as Cornelia's hair)

Sport: Snowboarding

Subject: Phys. Ed.

Pastime: Community Service (Helps at Homeless Shelters, etc.)

**Family:**

Father: Football Coach

Mother: Flourist

Younger Sister: Alice (Same Age as Cornelia's Sister)

**Popular Ornament: **Fingerless Gloves

**Quote:** "I think it's time I rocked your world."


	13. The Fifth Release

Bahamut: Okay, since we got Marsupilami, we might as well use him for the reconstruction.

Mewtwo: What about Stitch?

Bahamut: We'll use him for the destruction.

Poupoko: Chao.

Stitch: Stitch... allowed to break?

Bahamut: Break to your little heart's content ya little monster! Go, go, go!

Stitch: (Weilds a chainsaw, laser cannon, megaton hammer, and keyblade) ALOHA! (Proceeds to destroy mansion)

Mewtwo: Where'd he get a keyblade?

Bahamut: Probably knicked it off Sora or something.

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Thirteen: The Fifth Release

Things have indeed taken a turn for the worst. The Ancient Gods, minus the Two Greats, were beyond anger. To think that a Behemoth, a creature whose poisonous breath could wipe out entire armies, now held the power to give life to the dead—it was sacrilege. The Oracle knew that the Ancient Gods would bypass him and alert the Congregation of the current circumstances. It was only a matter of time until the Congregation used their collective power to arrest him. Strangely, the Oracle felt no fear of this. In fact, with the circumstances being what they are, it would be a sort of reprieve. Whoever would replace him would, more than likely, be angered by the lack of actual power the Oracle could use.

However, despite the oncoming crisis, the Oracle could not help but wonder what was going on with the Beasts. They never displayed such power before… Then again, they weren't near-permanently bonded to human adolescents before either. Still, the Beasts should not posses such power as they currently had. Unless… No, it couldn't be true. But it was.

The Heart and Fang were acting in tandem with one another.

In other words, they were working in perfect symphony.

Thinking back on it, the first generation of Guardians did not possess any control over the Fang since it belonged, in effect, to the leader of the Beasts, though they obeyed them without question. Except when it came to cease their attacks on their chosen prey be it the enemy or the Congregation. The Oracle sighed tiredly to himself. It was a miracle that no one died that day. What Tibor had said before was mostly true, no one but the latest generation of Guardians had ever made the trip to Kandrakar, where dreams and fears can become a physical thing just on the journey alone.

The Beasts too made a similar trip.

Though the Oracle did not know exactly what the Beasts had seen, they must have seen something terrible to drive them further into the bloodthirsty rage that they were in _before_ they made the attempt to enter Kandrakar. The Oracle knew that the frustration of being the first of their kind would affect the Guardians, but he never knew it would affect them to the point that the Beasts would see the Congregation and the Oracle as a threat to the Guardians' well-being.

It took most of his power just to trap them beneath the castle.

"Oracle?" the soft voice of Tibor spoke from behind him. The Oracle smiled softly.

"I will come willingly Tibor. There is no need for them to have my closest friend put me in chains."

"I am sorry, Oracle." Tibor whispered.

"I know where your alliance lays, Tibor, and I am glad of it." The Oracle turned to face his old friend. "Let us not keep the Congregation waiting."

* * *

Hay Lin squealed with utmost glee. Her favorite art teacher, her only art teacher but that's beside the point, had just assigned the class a completely free drawing! The only limitation was that it had to be on a large sheet of paper, which was all the more better for her! Though Irma griped about not having any ideas and wishing that she could use her powers to help with her 'artistic' water-painting skills.

Thank heavens that everybody, including Axel, forbade her from ever using her powers for something as small as water-painting ever again.

As she began to sketch out her mega-robo alien design, Hay Lin briefly spotted one of the newest batch of exchange students carefully selecting his colored pencils. He was the only exchange student that, for all technicalities, would still be continuing on the rest of the year; his parents having moved here before he made the exchange to their school.

He was from Japan and his black hair, which had neon blonde highlights along the edges, was pulled back into a braid that extended past his shoulders with a large brown feather tied to it. He was as energetic as Hay Lin, almost to the point that they could be called a perfect match. The only time that he ever had any serious air about him was when he was drawing, just like what she was supposed to be doing!

'_Hay Lin you idiot! What are doing thinking about some boy when there's work to be done!_' Hay Lin risked another glance. "Even if he is hot…"

"Hmmm?" the boy in question glanced up. "Did you say something Lin-dono?"

"Nothing!" she squeaked. "Nothing at all! Hehehehe…"

"Smooth. Real, smooth." Irma whispered to her.

"Oh be quiet."

Forty-five minutes later, when the bell rang for the passing time between classes, Hay Lin was just starting to head out the door when she noticed the new boy place his drawing atop the pile that the class had made to hand in. What she saw took her breath away for two simple reasons. The first was that the picture, done entirely in colored pencils, was simply breathtaking in its fine detail, something that Hay Lin begrudgingly lacked when it came to designing mecha. The second was that the drawing looked exactly like Bastian.

In Dragon form.

_

* * *

__One day after the Fourth Release… _

"Are you _sure_, Hay Lin?" asked Irma, "It's not just all the ink going to your head?"

"I'm sure, I'm sure!" said an exasperated Hay Lin. It was during lunch that Hay Lin decided to tell the others of what she had seen.

"Hay Lin," said Bastian, trying to calm the hyperactive girl down a bit. "The chances that he drew me exactly are slim to none."

"He colored you _exactly_ the way you are, _including_ the Fang!" Bastian's face paled at that.

"Exactly? I mean, right there and everything?"

"Right there and everything."

Eduardo rubbed his chin for a moment before saying, "Methinks we best be checkin' dis dude out. W'at be dis dude's name?"

Hay Lin blinked twice and blushed a bright pink. "Um… I don't know…"

"What?" exclaimed Irma, "You get us all worked up on this guy and you don't even know his name?"

"Well, neither do you!"

"It's Tenshi Hiten," said Axel, taking a bite out of his sandwich. His ears twitched at the sudden silence at their table and he sighed. "Ears, remember?"

"That and he introduced himself to you when he found out you can speak Japanese," said Samuel. Axel sweatdropped before waving a hand at Samuel.

"Details, mein freund, details."

"So what are we going to do?" asked Taranee. "Should we confront him or what?"

"I say or what," said Cornelia. "What if it's just coincidence you guys? We can't keep having Axel wipin' memories left and right."

"Especially since I don't know how I did it in the first place," muttered Axel to himself.

"True, but we can't let this go by." Will said. "Maybe one of us can keep a tab on him at school, and we can check out what he does after school today. Who has the most classes with him?" The group exchanged looks before eight pairs of eyes drew themselves toward Hay Lin.

"What? Me? Oh come you guys!"

"You do have the most class vith him." Axel said reasonably.

"But still—!"

"Think of it this way then," said Cornelia, "You can finally get your attention-span disorder under control."

"Gee, thanks…"

* * *

Much to Hay Lin's severe disappointment, Tenshi didn't do anything out of the ordinary besides his incredible drawings. The next four days, Hay Lin found out that Tenshi had already drawn Axel, was finishing up Eduardo, and was going to start drawing Samuel. When she asked him where he had come up with the ideas of the Beasts, Tenshi merely smiled a toothy smile not much different from her own and replied, "The artist never reveals his secrets to the subject, Lin-dono."

At first, this freaked Hay Lin out far more than Tenshi's drawings of the Beasts, what if his drawing of her was of her in Guardian form? Oh forget the girls, her grandmother would be ticked! However, when the day came for the partner-projects, Tenshi merely drew Hay Lin as he saw her. Of course, unlike Hay Lin, who had drawn him as he was drawing some random doodles, Tenshi had chosen to draw her when she was hanging out with her friends at lunch, sitting in the branches of their favorite tree.

When he showed her the drawing, done first in pencil then colored with special paints that made it look like it originated from the Far East, Hay Lin blushed brighter than she had ever blushed before and thanked him. Of course, Hay Lin was not one that you could call repetitive. If anything, you could call her the most spontaneous girl in all of Heatherfield. This spontaneous-ness showed itself in full-gear with Hay Lin's thanks, which was a kiss to Tenshi's cheek.

Tenshi merely gaped at her in surprise before gaining a strange looking frown that seemed to not fit the hyper-active boy. When the bell rang for class to be over, Tenshi had quickly moved to stand beside Hay Lin as she packed her backpack for her next class.

"Lin-dono?"

"Tenshi, I'm not Japanese, please, _please_ call me by my full name? Pretty please with sugar and sprinkles?" Tenshi smiled despite himself and nodded.

"If you insist Hay Lin." Tenshi's face suddenly went into that serious expression again. "I was wondering if you could perhaps meet me after school? At the Tomodachi store?"

"Sure. May I ask why, though?" When no answer came her way, Hay Lin glanced up from her backpack to see Tenshi exiting out through the door.

* * *

Tenshi sighed to himself as he slowly made his way towards the Tomodachi Anime/Manga store. He knew that this day would come. Though he had rehearsed it several times over in his head, Tenshi did not feel completely confident in himself. For the past several days now he has seen everything. By everything he meant everything about the girls and their boyfriends.

He had been amidst the trees of the cliffside that overlooked the battle between Huanglong and Rachiah and had seen the great Dragon turn into the boy known as Bastian. He was nearly run over by Eduardo on the road and had seen Fenrir's confrontation with Nekolas. He had been there when Axel transformed into his incomplete form and he had seen Jörmungandr emerged from the sewers and destroy Marisodal with little mercy. He had followed Samuel and had seen Tarasque's fight for revenge against General Lekraxe.

He had seen it all.

Tenshi knew that he too was like the others. Though he did not know for certain what lurked within him, he knew that the Fang had chosen him to be the fifth Beast. His eyesight was beyond anything a human could ever have. His vision ranged from telescopic to infrared, something that only animals could do. '_But I'm not an animal. I'm human._' Tenshi let out a slow breath of air and continued towards the store. Perhaps his kin would know of his abilities and how to control them. He had seen Axel wave at his ears frequently, perhaps he was having difficulties hearing?

"Tenshi! Hey, Tenshi?" The Japanese boy turned and smiled as Hay Lin ran up to him, her arm waving at him excitedly. He had to admit that he liked this girl's spunk, so much like himself. '_She's pretty cute too, de gozaru._' Tenshi's eyes widened and he blushed. '_Wrong thoughts, wrong thoughts! Think about what you have to say not about how cute her pigtails are or the way her ears twitch when she's—_' Tenshi mentally slapped himself.

"So," gasped Hay Lin, out of breath from having run all the way from their school. "What's up?"

"Hay Lin, there's something I have to speak with you about…" Noting the serious look in the taller boy's eyes, Hay Lin straightened and looked up into them.

"What is it?"

"Hay Lin… I don't know exactly how to say this, but I'm… well, I'm also a—"

BLAM!

Shock registered itself on both their faces. Hay Lin raised a hand to her left shoulder and touched the bullet wound that bled large streams of her blood down her arm. "Tenshi…?" Her eyes rolling back, Hay Lin fainted in the shocked boy's arms. Tenshi's wide eyes stared down at the wounded girl before narrowing into thin slits, their normal brown color changing into bright amber. Turning his head a complete one-hundred eighty degrees and glared at Hay Lin's attacker.

Nekonari.

"SSSSKRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	14. The Simurgh’s Eyes

**In Slumberland...**

Camille: Something wrong, Corvus? You seem a bit distracted.

Me: It's nothing. I just have this strange feeling... like something bad is going on at the mansion.

Camille: Do you have to leave?

Me: Nah, it's nothing my muses can't handle.

**At the Mansion...**

Mewtwo: And this was a good thing WHY?

Bahamut: How was I supposed to know the little beast would invite all of his cousins to help out? I thought he was a solo act!

Mewtwo: Well now we got 626 genetic experiments tearing apart the mansion alongside a hyperactive Marsupilami! What are we going to do?

Poupoko: (Call Lilo?)

Bahamut: ... That's just dumb enough to work!

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Fourteen: The Simurgh's Eyes

The beast gently held his charge in his broad feathered wings, his tri-clawed hand holding her shoulders gently as golden eyes promised death to the creature that shot her. The beast had an incredibly tough decision to make. Fight or flight? Avenge his Guardian or save her from further attack? His opponent did not give him the option of choosing. A hailstorm of bullets flew at the beast but he merely flew upwards, his Guardian now held in the talons of his feet. Dirty black feather fell to the ground as the beast flew higher and higher into the air, dodging the bullets that flew upwards at him.

He knew that he was in trouble with just one opponent. Imagine his surprise at being confronted by another.

Its black shape easily defined in the sun's light, the beast couldn't help but give a cry of warning at the insectoid monstrosity that flew at him, its claws held at ready. With a terrifying cry, the beast dove down to meet the creature head on only to pull away at the last second. His opponent was confused by the maneuver but not for long for following in the beast's wake was a gust of wind that was more than powerful enough to send the insectoid creature flat into the pavement.

Gaining a smirk of satisfaction, the beast flew on towards where his allies were located, not caring in the least about the decrease of feathers in his broad wings. All that mattered now was his Guardian's safety even if he meant that he would, in the end, crash and burn.

* * *

"I don't like this. Not one bit." Bastian was pacing alongside his girlfriend where they and the others were waiting for Hay Lin to return. "This guy drawing us is bad enough but those weird scents that Eduardo picked up, something's fishy here." 

"You sure it's not the market down the river?" asked Irma. They were waiting for Hay Lin in what she and Irma had dubbed the Training Arena, which was in fact an abandoned construction site that lay near the river. Ever since they had gained full awareness of their powers, the girls had frequently used this spot to train and strengthen their powers. Bastian and the guys had recently thought of doing the same but with Tenshi's drawings and now the strange scents on the air, those thoughts were pushed aside.

"It could be something from the bay," said Taranee in her reasonable way.

Eduardo shook his head. "I been to da bay 'efore, and trust me, dis don't be smellin' of stinky fish."

"Pick anything up yet, Samuel?" Cornelia asked her boyfriend whose eyes were closed in concentration with his hands flat against the soft earth.

"There's too much interference. I can tell you how traffic is doing but aside from that…"

Axel's ears twitched and he whirled about, his face looking up at the cloudy sky. "I hear something…"

"What? What do you hear?" asked Irma.

"Vings… bird vings… Large bird vings. Too large for any bird I know." The others exchanged worried looks.

"Eduardo? Can you sniff it out?" asked Will.

"I can try." Eduardo climbed atop a broken pillar of concrete and began to sniff towards where Axel was facing. "Dang it, I can't. De wind is all wrong." As though knowing of the boy's complaint, the wind suddenly shifted in the opposite direction, carrying a scent that Eduardo was unfortunate enough to be familiar with. "Oh mon, whateva it is, it's hurt. I be smellin' blood."

"It's getting closer; I think it's coming towards us," whispered Axel. "It should be within sight by now."

"It's too cloudy!" complained Bastian. "We'd be lucky to see the bloody sun in this!"

"Wait, wait!" exclaimed Will, pointing up past the bridge that lead out of Heatherfield. "I think I see it!" The others clambered atop the remaining pillars and struggled to see what Will had seen. It was a large black shape and it was indeed drawing nearer to them.

"Is it a bird?" asked Cornelia.

"Nah, it's a plane," stated Irma.

"No…" Bastian murmured, his glowing eyes narrowed. "It's Hay Lin, and the final Beast."

The tengu drew closer to them, his wings held out for a slow and steady glide. As he passed them, Hay Lin's body glowed a brilliant magenta and was taken from him. The tengu snorted and flapped upwards to land on the tallest pillar the overlooked everything in the construction site. With the beast now staying still, the others could get a good look at him.

The tengu's wings were quite large and they had tri-clawed hands similar to those found on prehistoric birds. His legs were birdlike as well and his human face was covered in the same black feathers that fell from his wings. However, it was Eduardo's cry of surprise that drew their attention back to Hay Lin.

"Oh my god…" whispered Will. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It is," murmured Eduardo, his grin completely vanished from his face. "It's de same wound Taranee got from dat feline jerk!"

"But how?" demanded Cornelia. "I thought you destroyed him!"

"I did!" protested Eduardo, "Or at least I think I did."

"It doesn't matter what shot Hay Lin," said Samuel. "What matters now is whether or not we can get her to a hospital before whatever shot her comes after her again!"

"A hospital won't be able to treat this wound, Samuel," said Bastian. "The bullet is still inside her and if we don't do something soon—" Bastian was cut off by a fierce shriek that came atop the cliff face that overlooked the grounds he and Rachiah had fought in several days ago. Axel went paler than normal.

"It couldn't be!"

The tengu narrowed his eyes and gave out a fierce war cry before launching himself up into the air, a trail of feathers following in his wake. Bastian glanced up and caught one of the feathers and stared at it intently before blinking in surprise when it disintegrated into dust.

The tengu flapped his great wings, losing more and more altitude as he flew on towards where the creatures were waiting for him, baiting him. Eyes that were once golden amber melted away into a chocolate brown as the rhythm of wing beats increased in frequency.

* * *

(**Do you know what you are doing, Young One?**) 

'_Those are the same creatures that attacked the others before, I know they are._'

(**Then why take them all on by yourself?**)

'_Because the others must concentrate on healing Hay-chan, they cannot get involved in this fight._'

(**Because they might lose?**)

'_Because Hay Lin might die!_'

(**You are a strange human, Young One.**)

'_I'll take that as a compliment, Watcher._'

(**Sigh… I guess I must follow in my brethren's example after all. I have enjoyed watching with you, Young One.**)

'_Thank you, Watcher._'

(**Heed my word human, for it is my last.**)

(**SECURE.**)

* * *

" Medina, tell me again where we're going," asked Agent McTiennan of Interpol. 

"I'm telling you, McTiennan," answered Agent Medina, her eyes focused both on the road and the sky, "I saw one of those kids being carried off by _something_, and I want to know what that something is."

"A glider maybe?" Agent McTiennan said sardonically, "Honestly Medina, we haven't found squat about the disappearance of the Brown family, and now you want to go hunting fairy tales."

"Me and HQ, McTiennan." Agent Medina growled at her taller partner. Agent McTiennan sighed and glanced over at his female partner.

"Hypothetically, if we were to find that these girls have some weird powers, and I'm not saying that they do, what are going to do about it?" Silence was his partner's response. "You don't even know?"

"No I don't," said Agent Medina, "Satisfied?"

"Not really," said Agent McTiennan, his eyes narrowing, "I don't like the idea of kids being taken in just because they may or may not have powers Medina."

"Nor do I McTiennan, but if those kids turn out to be a threat—"

"Threat? To who? So far there haven't been any mysterious deaths or disappearances aside from the Browns."

"And what about those monster reports?" Agent McTiennan rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, the monster reports. That guy at the gas-station was _real_ convincing. I swear Medina; you're turning into a female Mulder on me."

"Then I guess that makes you Scully doesn't it?" Agent Medina's lips quirked. Suddenly, she sighed in disgust. "Ugh, could you turn the radio off? I hate classical music." Agent McTiennan quirked an eyebrow at his dark-skinned partner.

"What radio? Some punk ripped ours off, remember?" Agent Medina glanced down to see that her partner's words were true.

"Then… where's that music coming from?" McTiennan frowned and closed his eyes. He _did_ hear music.

"Sounds like an orchestra entirely made out of flutes… Hmm, maybe there's a concert going on nearby?" Medina frowned and glanced upwards.

"In the sky?"

Suddenly, a large object impacted heavily in the road in front of them. Agent Medina barely had time to swerve off to the side of the road as the object unraveled itself into a large insect-like monstrosity. Though shaken, Agent McTiennan had enough sense about him to yell out, "What the heck is that!"

The insect was large and spider-like in appearance except for the fact that it possessed large wings and a tail not unlike like that of a scorpion. If the creature still held any control over the human called Uriah, it would be known as Rachiah but now, with no host to call its own, the thing was nothing more than a resurrected Shadow-Spider. The black creature turned its head and glared down at the two Interpol agents and drooled slightly. Before it could strike however, a musical screech came from high above the Shadow-Spider and a large bird descended down from the clouds with the speed of falcons. The bird slammed into the Shadow-Spider with enough force to cause several cracks to spread along the road.

"Wha-What the heck is that thing?" said a stunned Agent McTiennan.

"A… roc…?" murmured Agent Medina.

The Interpol agent would be correct to assume that the bird was a roc, due to his huge size, but the bird in question was much more than that.

It was a Simurgh, the first, last, and only one of its kind.

The Simurgh, like his name suggested, was a creature composed of thirty different species of bird. Some features were quite evident in the Simurgh's appearance. His tail was like that of a peacock, and colored about the same. His broad wings, so much like that of eagles', contained feathers that made his flight soundless, just like of owls' while feathers unlike that of parrots' gleamed in the sun's light. His beak, like that of an intelligent crow was opened wide, crying a symphony of flutes to the sky was his hawk talons sank into the Shadow-Spider's exoskeleton. However, there was one thing about the Simurgh that was not like that of a bird; his eyes. Eyes like a human's.

Eyes like Tenshi's.

* * *

Tenshi cried another symphony and flapped his great wings, taking off into the air. The Shadow-Spider clicked its gleaming fangs and took off after him, quickly catching up to him. Narrowing his eyes, Tenshi increased his speed and flew on, baiting the Shadow-Spider to follow after him even as he caught sight of Nekolas. The Kat-Wraith had not moved from where it had shot Hay Lin earlier and was already taking aim at Tenshi with its gunarms. Shrieking a fierce note, Tenshi closed his wings and dropped like a stone, allowing Nekolas' bullets to fly past him and impact into the Shadow-Spider's face, sending it reeling. 

Tenshi continued to keep his wings close to his body until the last possible second, his talons raking against what appeared to be nothing more than air. The Chomeakhan known as Marisodal screeched in pain as his bleeding chest revealed several large gashes. Smirking, Tenshi flew upwards again, his claws raking against the reeling Shadow-Spider, ripping its face even more than Nekolas' bullets. The Kat-Wraith was still shooting at but ultimately found his supply of bullets waning. Snarling, Nekolas ran up alongside a building wall, taking aim at the circling Tenshi before firing one final bullet at the large Simurgh.

Time seemed to slow down as the bullet drew closer and closer to Tenshi's exposed chest. Though both were in pain, Marisdoal and the Shadow-Spider looked on with glee at what would be the death of the fifth Beast. Tenshi's eyes widened considerably before they narrowed into determined slits. (**_Time to end this game, de gozaru._**) And then it happened.

Giving another fierce orchestrated cry, Tenshi twirled about with increasing speeds until a large tornado surrounding his brightly colored form. Nekolas' bullet went through into the tornado and was shot back at the Kat-Wraith with greater force. The Kat-Wraith was even aware that he had been shot with his own bullet until his head fell back onto the ground with his body still standing. The twister, however, did not dissipate and, instead, continued to twist through the air, never touching the ground. Lightning began to surround the twister as it rammed itself into the Shadow-Spider and Marisodal before sucking up the remains of Nekolas.

The lightning increased in fervor until one final bolt ripped through the tornado, destroying it and its victims with force equal to that of a devastating bomb, leaving only the twister's creator unscathed. Satisfied with what had occurred, Tenshi gave a fierce flute-like screech before flying on towards the abandoned construction site, completely heedless of the unmarked car following in his wake.

When he arrived at the site, Tenshi glided down even as his feathers blew away into the wind until only his human self remained. Not pausing in his steps, Tenshi quickly made his way over to his comrades and kneeled down beside Hay Lin's prone form. "How is she?"

"We don't know," sighed Bastian. "We've tried combining the Fang and Heart but they're not reacting."

"Is the bullet not the same?"

"It's the same," shivered Taranee. "Believe me."

"Well, what are we going to do? We can't let Taranee die and come back as a zombie, de gozaru!" Axel suddenly stiffened as did Samuel.

"Guys!"

"We're not going to let her die, Tenshi!" exclaimed Irma. "If you hadn't been gallivanting around town—"

"I have not been gallivanting, de gozaru!"

"Guys!"

"Well if you weren't flying around town, what were you doing?"

"That's exactly what we'd like to know." Everyone turned to see a familiar pair of Interpol agents, both with frowns on their faces.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	15. Reunited

Mewtwo: I can't believe that was dumb enough to work.

Bahamut: Whatever, just help me with this last plug.

Poupoko: Chaoaocho? Chachachao ao ch?

Bahamut: Oh come on, one more won't do anything bad! (Pushes plug into outlet.)

K-POW!

(Entire mansion goes dark as does the rest of the country)

Mewtwo & Poupoko: (Glares)

Bahamut: Just help me find the bloody candles.**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter One: The Monsters Within

Part Fifteen: Reunited

"Agent Medina! Agent McTiennan! Uh… what are you doing here?" stuttered a very surprised Will.

"I think that's our question," said Agent McTiennan.

"Where did your monster get to?" asked Agent Medina, ignoring her partner's obvious sarcasm.

"Monster?" Irma questioned, radiating false innocence. "What monster?"

"The bird! What happened to the bird?" Agent Medina suddenly glanced at the boys. "Better yet, who are you?"

"We ask the same of you, lady!" said Samuel, nudging Cornelia behind him so that he was between her and the irked woman.

"Don't get your coat in a twist kid," muttered Agent McTiennan. "We're agents of Interpol."

"Interpol?" Eduardo leaned forward, blocking the agents' line of sight and Hay Lin. "W'at are agents o' Interpol doin' out 'ere in de boonies?" However, Eduardo's maneuver did the opposite of what he had hoped for. Attracted to whatever was behind the boys, the two agents shoved past them and stared in shock at the prone form of Hay Lin.

"What the—Are you kids insane? We got to get her to a hospital!" exclaimed Agent Medina.

"A hospital won't be able to treat her type of wound!" snarled Axel, his teeth suddenly sharper.

"So back off!" growled Tenshi, clutching Hay Lin's hand in his own. Bastian's eyes narrowed as he stared at Agent Medina before they widened in surprise. A suddenly flash came from his eyes and Agent Medina yelped in shock as her hidden camera was ripped from inside her uniform alongside her and Agent McTiennan's hidden mikes and earpieces.

"I don't like cameras," snarled Bastian, his eyes gaining a magenta hue as the mechanical devices were suddenly smashed together before being flung to the air.

"What the—?" exclaimed Agent Medina before she reached into her uniform and pulled out her gun, taking aim at Bastian. "What the heck are you?"

Axel suddenly whipped his cane down, smacking the female agent's wrist while ripping the gun out of her hand with his free one. His cane then whipped out and smacked her sharply on both her shoulders and knees, sending her falling on her behind with an exclamation of pain. "Take aim at me or mein freunds again, and I won't be gentle next time," said Axel, tapping Agent Medina's forehead with his seeing-eye cane

'_That was gentle? Geez, just what are these kids eating for breakfast?_' Agent McTiennan sighed and held up his hands even as his gun was forcibly removed from him by Bastian's telekinesis. "Look, we're not here to arrest you or anything."

"Don't try to lie to a psychic, Joel. It's generally a bad idea," said Bastian, his eyes still glowing.

"Look," gasped Agent Medina, still slightly out-of-it from Axel's attack on her. "You kids are in enough trouble as it is!"

"_We're_ in trouble? Who pulled out the gun?" exclaimed Cornelia.

"I'm more than willing to bet that you kids were the ones that made the Brown family disappear!" exclaimed Agent Medina, her eyes wide and glaring at the stunned Cornelia. "What'd you do with them? Kill them and use their parts for your dark magics?"

THUNK! Samuel rubbed his fist and glared down at Agent Medina's unconscious form. "No one talks like that to _my_ soul mate." Agent McTiennan stepped forward to speak when he too suddenly found himself lost in the depths of oblivion. Will glanced at her boyfriend and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" asked Bastian. "Like you didn't want to do that yourself." Will smiled despite the situation and shook her head.

"_I must admit, you humans are starting to become a real pain…_" whispered a voice from the air. Axel sat up straight and shivered.

"Please, oh _please_, tell me you guys understood that?" Irma glanced at him.

"Heard what? That weird moaning? I thought it was from Agent Medina." Before Axel could respond, the voice spoke again, this time in a language they all could understand.

"Forgive me; I forget that you cannot understand the language of the dead." A towering form enshrouded in a hooded cloak, as black as a starless night, stepped out from behind the same pillar Tenshi had landed on earlier.

"Who the heck are you?" asked Samuel, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

"I am called Mobena by my equals, but _you_ can call me, the VI General: The Dead."

"The VI General?" murmured Taranee.

"Indeed," murmured Mobena, "You have contacted Yinodo, the III General, and Lekraxe: the IV General."

"Contacted? I t'ink ya mean fought." Eduardo stated and then blinked in surprise as Mobena began to laugh.

"Fools, we cannot exist in this realm. Yet. What you fought was only a mere fraction of their power."

"Really?" said Bastian, his eyes glowing magenta. "Then I guess that means we can kick your ass easily then."

"Oh it is not me that you have to worry about," Mobena waved an arm and a large creature burst from the ground behind her. The creature looked to be insect-like in nature but was far more than that. Its head was reptilian with several variations of ancient cannons made up what could have been its legs. A deep feline-like sound came from the creature as it glared down at the Guardians and Beasts with three pairs of eyes. "I must thank you for providing me with the materials I needed to create this construct here. Though I will admit that Aanolex did help with its… destructive qualities. Now, my dear Schwarzmortis, do what you were created for."

The creature yowled and leapt high up into the air and rocketed towards the city. The groups of teens only had enough time to blink in surprise before Schwarzmortis impacted against one of the tallest skyscrapers in Heatherfield and exploding with a force equal to that of a nuclear bomb. By the time the Guardians and Beasts gained enough wits about them to stand, it was already too late.

Heatherfield was destroyed.

"Oh my god… Our friends… our parents…" whispered a horrified Will.

"Dead!" cackled Mobena. "But not for long!" Black lightning sprouted from Mobena's hands as large clouds of ash surrounded the air above the construction site. The clouds slammed down and solidified into the once-living citizens of Heatherfield.

"Gott im Himmel…" said a stunned Axel. "Vhat have you done?"

"I am merely reaping in my reward. That's all." Bastian and Will stared in horror as their family; their friends cackled and twisted about with inhuman glee, the shock of their deaths not fully registering within their young minds. When it finally did set in, one could say that all heck broke loose.

The Heart and Fang exploded with light unseen since the creation of the sun. The light spread outwards in a large sphere, ultimately engulfing the entire planet within its pure white light. Musical roars echoed out from within the center of sphere, a symphony of orchestrated instruments. Once again, time itself slowed to a stop before rewinding itself to the exact point that Schwarzmortis was summoned. Completely unaware of the sudden loss or even the gain itself, Mobena was quite surprised to find all five Beasts glaring down at her and her creation with all of their respected Guardians standing beside them, including a suddenly rejuvenated Hay Lin. Schwarzmortis could only yelp in surprise before launching itself up into the air in a vain hope of escape from its opponents.

(**_Escape is not an option, de gozaru._**) Tenshi flew upwards, easily catching up with the fleeing monstrosity. Giving a fierce shriek, the great Simurgh increased his speed until he was in front of the fleeing monster. Hovering seemingly on his own power, Tenshi brought his great wings forward with a soundless clap, causing a gust of wind stronger than anything ever recorded in modern history. The gale was more than enough to knock Schwarzmortis back towards the ground and right into the waiting Axel who embraced the black creature within his coils in mere seconds.

As the giant Leviathan squeezed, Eduardo jumped up and raked his antlers against Schwarzmortis' hide, burning and cutting the creature at the same time. As the Efreet continued with his assault, Samuel lifted his Behemoth body up onto his hind legs and slammed his forepaws into the ground with tremendous force, creating a large gap in the ground that threatened to swallow Axel if he wasn't careful.

Hissing a faint symphony of strings, Axel relaxed his embrace until the broken form of Schwarzmortis fell before the snarling Eduardo who quickly rammed it straight at the hole. Before the large Schwarzmortis could even begin to fall into the crevice, Bastian flew up above it as bright neon light erupted in thin streams from his clenched jaw. Roaring, the great Dragon tilted his head down and fired the beam of concentrated light straight into Schwarzmortis' torso, ripping a gaping hole into the explosive creature. Just as Schwarzmortis began to explode, the ground slammed itself into a completely unscathed landscape, muffling down the explosion that came from the death of Schwarzmortis.

The Beasts looked to each other before tilting their heads back and roaring an orchestra of music, their respected cries blending together perfectly. It was their cry of victory, their roar of hope, but most of all, it was their declaration to their reunion.

The Beasts of Rakarnak were together again.

_

* * *

_

"So all this time, you've been watching us?"

"Hai, de gozaru."

The gang had decided to reconvene at the playground after moving the unconscious agents of Interpol into their car. They did not know if the agents would remember what happened or even believe it if they did. Right now, they were happy with the knowledge that the Beasts were together again and that their city was safe even if for just a small amount of time.

"But why?" asked Hay Lin, "Why not just come and talk to us?"

"Well," said Tenshi, a bit hesitantly, "I guess… I was afraid, de gozaru. I did not fully understand myself or what I was becoming… and I must admit that you are worth watching, Lin-dono." Tenshi blushed slightly as he admitted this, but Hay Lin, who was also blushing, grinned and leaned over and pecked the taller boy on the cheek. Axel rolled his eyes at the sound but kept quiet. Though he was concerned about the Generals, he too did not want to ruin the mood. That and with Irma leaning against him like she was, Axel found it very hard to even acknowledge the others.

"So what now?" asked Samuel. "We've got the five Guardians and the five Beasts… but what next?"

"I'll tell you what's next," said Cornelia, a devious smirk appearing on her face. "You guys are going to have to go through what we've gone through nearly every weekend."

Will grinned and stared up at her boyfriend. "Oh yeah, you guys aren't going to be able to relax quite yet."

Bastian suppressed a shiver. He didn't like the look in Will's eyes one bit. "Do I dare ask?"

The girls all grinned and exclaimed a single word: "TRAINING!"

"WHAT?"

_

* * *

_

_Kenuen_

_

* * *

_

The End...

Of Chapter One...

* * *

**Tenshi Gufuu Hiten**

**Age:** 14

**Eye Color: **Chocolate Brown

**Hair Color: **Black with Blonde Highlights (Ponytail)

**Height: **Five Foot Seven

**Zodiac Sign:** Libra

**Beast: **Simurgh

**Symbol:** Two Loops (Eight on its side)

**Represent:** First Sense

**Primary Power: **Advanced Sense of Sight

**Secondary Power: **Holographic Projection

**Favorite: **

Color: Purple

Sport: Tennis

Subject: Art

Pastime: Drawing, Sketching, Sculpting, etc.

**Family:**

Father: Cartoonist (Comic Book)

Mother: Art Choreographer

Grandfather: Animatation (Lives in Japan)

**Popular Ornament:** Feather-Quill in hair, Anime-Character Keychains

**Quote: **"Now _that_ was freakin' sugoii, de goazru!"


	16. Unleashed

Bahamut: Hey, did you put up the A/N's that Corvus wanted ya to put up, Mewtwo?

Mewtwo: I did.

Bahamut: Then I guess there's nothing left for us to do except...

Muses: PARTY!

(Streamers and confetti fall from the ceiling as a disco ball shines down from where the chandelier once was.)

Bahamut:

Mewtwo's got the party started  
There's no end in sight  
Everybody's movin to the  
Rhythm that's inside  
It's a crazy world  
But tonight's the right situation  
Don't get left behind!

C'mon! Everybody come and party down with the Muses-Crew!

I can feel the music  
Moving through me everywhere  
Ain't no destination baby  
We don't even care  
There's a place to be  
If you need the right education  
Let it take you there 

**

* * *

DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. **

**A/N: This will be the first and only time that the B.E.A.S.T.-Crew will have their transformations as well as their forms describe in complete detail. So read it well, lest thou shalt miss something far important.**

* * *

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter Two: Freedom's Chaos

Part One: Unleashed

It was an early morning in the city of Heatherfield, so early, in fact, that even the night owls were only just starting to return to their nests as the early birds slowly started to stir in their own. Few cars were on the streets and even fewer people were awake, let alone moving about, in this fine morning. The sky was a pale red on the horizon as the orange disc that was the sun began to rise up as pink and purple clouds moved lazily along. Indeed it was a wonderful morning and it was rather sad that few were awake to appreciate it. Even those few that were awake were too tired to really care fully, especially considering the reason why they were up and about so early in the day anyway.

It was on the farthest outskirts of the city that one would find the group of young teenaged group of kids standing atop one of the many cliffs that outlooked the nature-filled valley whose only disturbance was the infrequent train that passed through along the tracks that connected between the valley's tallest cliffs. The group was there not to watch nature nor on some form of camping trip; they were there for training. It was not the kind of training that one would immediately expect. It was not the training of the mind or of physical prowess, though the two were slightly involved. It was the training of something far greater.

Magic.

"Okay boys, we're going to transform first since we're more experienced with all of this, so just sit back and watch!" Will grinned at the boys, most of them too sleepy to really care, and held up the Heart of Kandrakar. "Guardians Unite!" The Heart radiated bright pink-colored light as five thin streams of energy; each colored differently flew upwards before diving down and surrounding their respected Guardians in a pristine orb of glass. A strange symbol appeared across the surface of each orb as the girls inside hugged their knees close to their chest as their respected elements swirled about them. The glass orbs shattered into dust and blew away into nonexistence as the five Guardians lightly fell to their feet, each calling the name of their elemental power.

"Earth!"

"Air!"

"Fire!"

"Water!"

"Heart!"

Although Bastian had already seen the girls in their Guardian forms and Samuel had clear recollection of them through his golem, the other guys had never fully seen their respected girl in their Guardian form clearly. Axel, though blind in his eyes, could easily see Irma through his own sharp hearing thanks to the near soundless valley and the quiet tapping of his seeing-eye cane. The evidence of his being aware of Irma's slightly older, and more pronounced, form was the vivid redness that decorated his normally pale cheeks. Eduardo was in a state of numbness more from Taranee's scent than her change of appearance, though her form-fitting clothes did play a part. The alteration of her scent was more pronounced and it filled his canine-like nose with enough pheromones to send him beyond cloud nine. Tenshi's eyes were quick to spot the changes in Hay Lin as well as the amount of skin her outfit showed. As much as he tried too, the Japanese boy just couldn't turn his eyes away.

"I think we broke them," snickered Irma, blushing slightly while silently thankful that Axel could not fully see her.

"Well you girls are more developed now, so why wouldn't they?" Cornelia frowned and smacked Samuel upside the head. "Ow! That was a compliment, Corn-Head!"

"A backhanded one!"

"But still a compliment!"

"I must say," said Will, completely ignoring Samuel and Cornelia, "it's rather nice not being so short compared to you."

Bastian smiled. Even though her body was that of a sixteen-year-old, Will's eyes were even with his nose. "You're still shorter than me, dear heart." Bastian kissed her forehead gently before turning to the other boys. "Samuel, quit arguing with your soul mate. You three don't make me have Irma give you a cold shower."

The five moved back from the girls as they did the same. The boy's transformation would not result in a slight alteration to their age and clothes. Bastian lightly held the chain that adorned the golden globe-like talisman that was the Yang to the Heart's Yin.

The Fang of Rakardnak.

"Beasts Unleash!"

The Fang radiated deep gold-colored light as five thin streams of energy; each colored differently flew upwards before diving down and surrounding their respected Beast in a pristine orb of glass. A strange symbol flashed across the surface of each orb, but unlike the Guardian's transformation, something different was happening on the inside of the orbs. Something that all the Guardian's watched with a sense of awe and shock.  
Inside his gold orb, Bastian was falling through the air on a collision course towards the ground when not one but multiple loud roars echoed across the strange land that made up the inside of his orb. Suddenly, a dragon appeared across the orb followed by another and another until a vast multitude of dragons from all across the world were diving down alongside Bastian, their roars creating a strange primal symphony. The dragons began to move closer towards the boy until it was impossible to tell them apart. Suddenly, the orb exploded outwards, a symphony of gongs following in its wake.

Standing before the Guardians was a towering Dragon that stood easily over thirty feet at the shoulder alone. His scales were a brilliant jade with the edges etched in emerald while the scales of his underbelly were colored a lighter shade. The spikes that adorned the great Beast's shoulders and hips were a pale yellow while those that ran from the base of his skull towards the spade-tip of his tail were slightly darker. The horns that adorned his head, which greatly resembled a crown of sorts, were an offshoot white, the same color of the sharpened edges of the Dragon's spade. His great wings, so resembling that of a wyvern, were each longer than he was and the membranes were colored like that of rainbows. Adorning the Dragon's upper jaw was a pair of tendrils unique to those found in the orient, though his head was shaped more like those found in the current region. The two normal eyes were colored a deep emerald green while the third eye, which rested atop the Dragon's forehead, was a brilliant purple. Closing his third eye and spreading his wings as wide as they could go, Bastian tilted back his head and roared an orchestrated symphony of gongs into the sky.

Inside his red orb, Eduardo was running through a forest ablaze in an inferno of fire when a large stag jumped in front of him and ran just short of him. A large multitude of howls echoed across the blazing forest before a pack consisting of every wild canine that existed throughout Earth's history gave chase after the stag and Eduardo. Their jaws snapping with the thrill of their hunt, they leapt at the boy, colliding against him and the stag with the inferno blazing across them. The orb exploded outwards with an orchestra of trumpets following in its destruction.

Crouching low before the Guardians was a massive Efreet that was easily bigger than a large truck. The fur of the Beast was a deep red and moved like the fire that made up his blood. The antlers that adorned the Efreet's head curved back past his broad shoulders and were colored a deep black, as though they had been burned for several years yet never destroyed in the process. The large Efreet's claws were an ashen gray with the pads of his feet being a lighter shade. While his head resembled that of a wolf's, the Efreet's body was more like that of a massive Doberman with the fur of a coyote. His jaws were longer than any canine's and his fangs were truly something to behold. Each sharp fang was easily over several inches long, some being more than two foot in length, and was easily capable of tearing through hardened steel. The teeth were displayed not in hunger or anger, but in a mad grin that echoed the mirth in the Beast's bright blue eyes that matched a human's own. Tilting back his antlered head, Eduardo howled an orchestrated symphony of trumpets that echoed across the valley.

Inside his pale blue orb, Axel was frantically swimming through a dark ocean that threatened to kill him through lack of air. Suddenly, a sharp-looking fin flashed across the orb's surface before the monstrous form of a great white shark appeared, following after the struggling Axel. Several more sharks, each different, appeared and gave chase to the boy before stopping in their tracks as a fierce rumble echoed across the waters. The sharks were sucked away into a massive whirlpool alongside Axel and several other aquatic life forms which didn't exclude many types of air-breathers and sea-snakes. Suddenly, a crack appeared on the orb before several more spread out along its glassy surface. The orb finally broke apart with an orchestrated symphony of stringed instruments following in its obliteration.

Resting just before the Guardians was a gigantic Leviathan, a Leviathan easily over a hundred feet in length if not more. The Leviathan's body, while like a snake's, possessed multiple pairs of flippers reminiscent to a seal's. Alongside the Beast's back was a large series of purple spines, all deadly with poison and connected together by lighter-colored webbing that served to make the spines into a triangular fin. The spines and webbing also adorned the sides of the tip of his tail, making it look as though an oak leaf was attached to the Leviathan's tail. Deep red stripes decorated the back and sides of the Leviathan's body and outer edges of his flippers, easily standing out against his teal-colored scales. The three slits that were his gills rested just under the Leviathan's long, sharp-pointed ears and closed tight. The gleaming fangs of the Beast shined brightly along his barracuda-like jaw with strange jellyfish-like tendrils resting just under the back of his lower jaw while the pale-yellow dangler rested just atop his forehead. Axel hissed a faint orchestra of stringed music as he stared out across the valley's expanse.

Within his pale green orb, Samuel was struggling to stand atop a craggy mountain that was crumbling to pieces all around him. Rocks and boulders larger than a SUV fell across the orb's surface, hindering the Guardian's view of Samuel multiple times. Suddenly, the entire mountain split itself apart and with nothing left for him to stand on, Samuel could only fall into the widening crevice even as an earthshaking bellow echoed from within the darkness. Several cracks appeared along the orb before it cracked itself apart even as an orchestra of drums echoed from within it.

Looming before the Guardians was a large Behemoth that stood forty feet tall at the shoulder. While his head and body structure was like that of an ox, the Behemoth's legs were more like that of a lion's with his tail more like a ancient reptile but more sinuous. His fur was etched in varying shades of brown with his iridescent quills being a multitude of emerald colors. His great horns seemed to be made more of diamonds than actual bone or hair like most other horned beasts. Claws more like a grizzly bear's own scratched against the earth before the Behemoth lifted himself up on his hind legs to stand nearly upright. Human eyes that were colored a regular brown blinked twice before Samuel bellowed a drum orchestra that rattled the ground for miles.

Within his silvery orb, Tenshi was waving his arms wildly as he was driven up through the clouds on multiple gusts of hurricane-like winds. The gales were strong enough to keep the boy aloft but no one could say how long this would last. However, before the winds could begin to give out, a small black form flew past Tenshi before falling back to land on his head, its feathered wings spread wide. It was a crow and it was not alone in its attempt to help the boy. Hawk, Falcon, Eagle, Owl, Crane, Parrot, Hummingbird, several kinds of birds appeared to help until, in the end, there was a max total of thirty different birds, each playing a part in helping Tenshi against the wind. Suddenly, Tenshi's orb exploded outwards with a symphony of flutes echoing in its wake.

Towering before the Guardians was the sizeable Simurgh, who stood just a few feet shorter than the Dragon. The Beast's feather's were colored like a variety of macaws but were more like that of a swan's. His neck, while covered in feathers, was like that of a vulture's, and his head was shaped like a penguin's with a crow's beak. The Simurgh's wings, while shaped like an eagle's, were as large as an albatross' and possessed the feathers of an owl with the claws of an archaeopteryx. His tail was like that of a peacock's and was spread as wide as can be. His feet were like that of a hawk's own and were gripping the earth beneath him tightly. However, the one thing about the Simurgh that wasn't like a bird was his eyes. They were a chocolate brown and were more like a human's than a bird's. Lifting up his pointed beak, Tenshi crowed an orchestrated symphony of flutes into the morning sky, awakening all the day creatures alongside his fellows.

It took as long for them to transform as it did the Guardians and yet it did not. Nonetheless, their transformations were enough to put the girls in awe.

"Whoa…" None of them could tell who spoke it, but the girls were grateful for the single word that broke the spell-like awe that had surrounded them.

Bastian smirked and leaned his head down enough for his eyes to look into Will's. (**_It would seem that, once again, you are quite small my dear._**)

"Oh hush," said Will, a smile on her face as she gently patted Bastian's nose. Eduardo merely grinned a toothy grin and winked at Taranee.

(**_Hot stuff!_**) Taranee blushed bright red and vainly hoped that the Jamaican boy was referring more to their element rather than her appearance.

Samuel grumbled before falling back down onto his forefeet with barely a quiver of the ground. (**_This will take some getting use to…_**) Cornelia merely laughed and stroked her boyfriend's nose, causing him to purr.

(**_How do I look Hay-san?_**) asked Tenshi, looking down at the pigtailed girl, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Like a dream," giggled Hay Lin, an uncanny desire to sketch the Japanese boy racing through her heart and mind. "If only I had my sketchbook…"

Unlike the others, Axel remained silent and was focused entirely upon the forested valley bellow. His eyes were wide as could be and he tried his best to keep from blinking. He didn't want to lose the gift he had suddenly gained.

"Axel? Axel, what's wrong?" Irma did not fail to notice the German boy's strange behavior and was quite worried about it. For all she knew, Axel could be reliving an old, but still very painful, memory.

Axel shivered and slowly looked down at Irma who gasped at the sight of his eyes. No longer gray and white with blindness, Axel's eyes were now the color of the ocean waves and were looking at and taking in her form with all of his power. (**_Irma…_**) Axel's voice trembled as he spoke. He suddenly recalled the previous times he had transformed; he was not sightless then. Did that mean that, as a Beast, he could see again? (**_Irma… I can see you… I can actually see you!_**) Axel lowered his head down so that he was level with Irma and hissed a happy string of music. (**_I can't believe this! If this is a dream, I don't ever vant to vake up!_**)

(**_What's he so excited about?_**) Samuel looked over towards the grinning Axel, raising an eyebrow as the Leviathan hissed an orchestra of strings at the Water Guardian.

"Beats me…" murmured Cornelia. Bastian raised his head and stared down at the two in confusion.

(**_You can't hear him?_**) He questioned. (**_That's odd. I can hear him just fine._**)

Eduardo's grin shrunk a little as he tilted his head to look up at the towering Dragon. (**_Dude, w'at are ya talkin' 'bout? Who can't 'ear who?_**)

(**_Uh-oh…_**) Bastian turned his neck about to look over at Tenshi. (**_Hey Tenshi, try talking to Cornelia._**)

(**_Oro? Okay… Uh, is life good, Cornelia-san?_**)

(**_Did you hear him?_**) Bastian asked the blonde-haired Guardian.

"No…" Hay Lin quirked an eyebrow at that.

"Really? I heard him just fine." Bastian's eye-ridges furrowed as he silently went over what this could mean. A sudden thought struck him.

(**_Taranee, what do you hear when any of the others, beside Eduardo, speak?_**)

"Uh… just barks and growls really…"

(**_But you can hear Eduardo perfectly?_**)

"Yeah."

(**_Hmmm. I think I got it!_** **_Basically, since I am telepathic, you all can hear and understand me, but you guys,_**) Bastian waved a clawed forehand at the others. (**_Can only speak to your respected Guardian._**)

(**_Great. How do we fix it?_**)

Bastian glared at Samuel before replying, (**_I'll have to create a telepathic link between us. Now I must warn you, this might sting a little._**)

(**_Sting? I don't think I like that, de goz-ITAI!_**) Tenshi yelped in pain alongside everyone else, san Bastian.

"Hey! I heard you guys yelp in pain!" exclaimed Irma, a smirk appearing on her face. "Way to yelp like a dog there, Eduardo."

(**_Hey!_**)

(**_Now, now. No fighting,_**) said Tenshi. (**_Since we are here, we might as well get some training done._**)

(**_Yes, ve might as vell._**) Axel nodded his head and started to move forward when a sudden thought occurred to him shortly after he started to slither forward.

He didn't know how to move in his new body.

(**_Ack!_**) Axel miscalculated his movement and ended up plowing into Samuel who stumbled forward and tripped over his own feet. Eduardo yelped and jumped to the side as Axel's head came down to the ground only to land face first into the ground thanks to the weight of his antlers. Before Bastian could move, Axel's midsection came crashing down on his tail and he ended up in the massive pile-on that was starting to form. Tenshi tried to avoid the pile-on by flying up into the air but because of his own unawareness, he ended up flying straight up for over a hundred feet before dropping like a rock.

When the dust finally settled, there was a massive pile-on consisting of all five Beasts.

(**_This, is a bad start._**) Bastian muttered to himself.

* * *

By the time they had finally separated themselves and had learned to move about without tripping over themselves, it was already late in the morning. Finally giving up on their Beast forms, at least for the time being, the five reverted back to their human forms and were content to watch the girls train. Axel was immediately disappointed to find that his sight left him whenever he became human but after remembering what had caused his blindness in the first place, he was content to have it remain, much to Irma's chagrin.

Eventually, after watching them do their regular paces, the boys all began to notice something that puzzled them.

"Hey, Will?"

Will turned and looked over at her boyfriend. "Yes?"

"Uh… not to be mean or anything by why is Hay Lin the only one in the air?"

"Cause she's the Guardian of Air, duh!" said Irma.

"Then vhy do you have vings?" asked Axel.

"And why aren't ya usin' 'em?" Eduardo quirked an eyebrow at them.

"Hai, even Hay-san doesn't use her wings, de gozaru." Tenshi agreed.

"Well… I guess we never really had to yet…" said Taranee. "I guess we could but…"

"That will have to wait for another time, girls." The girls and boys whirled about to see none other than Hay Lin's grandmother standing beside the abandoned dirt bike path that went pass their new training grounds. Yan Lin had a deep frown on her face and her eyes were uncharacteristically angry.

"Grandma!" exclaimed Hay Lin, dropping down to the ground quickly. "What is it? Has something happened in Meridian?"

"No. Something has happened in Kandrakar."

"What?" exclaimed the girls while the boys themselves looked confused.

"Uh, pardon us but what is Kandrakar?" asked Tenshi.

"The world where the Congregation and the Oracle reside," said Yan Lin.

"Congregation?" muttered Axel, a hiss behind his voice.

"Oracle?" Samuel's voice rumbled like an earthquake.

"Yes." Yan Lin turned to face the Guardians, now in their normal forms. "The Oracle has been arrested and put on trial."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**A/N 2: Concerning size**

I realize that, sooner or later, there's bound to be a question about the Beasts actual size. Truth to tell, none of the Beasts have a set size exactly though the size they normally assume is the size you've just read. Why do the Beasts not have a set size? The Four Beasts of the Elements, basically the Efreet, the Leviathan, the Behemoth, and the Simurgh, are composed of the elements of their Guardians and thus can alter their size at will. The Leviathan is more than a perfect example for water covers more than seventy percent of our planet so why shouldn't he? As for the Dragon... well, if you read his transformation sequence carefully, you would realize that he is composed of all the dragons of the world in the same manner that the Simurgh is made of thirty different birds and thus can alter his size to match that of a specific dragon's own.

**A/N 3: Concerning evil **

Some of you may have noticed the lack of bad guys in this chapter, well to be fair, not all of the episodes in W.I.T.C.H. involved the bad guys specifically; the same can almost be said in the comics as well. So this chapter as well as the next few will not heavily include the bad guys, though they do make a few cameos along the way.

**A/N 4: Concerning names **

As some of you may have noticed, at the end of every Release Trilogy, there was a name that the Oracle often used when referring to the Beasts. These names alongside the Beasts themselves shall be explained in the next chapter which may turn out to be one of, if not the, longest one in this fic.


	17. Prova di Amore

Me: Hiya people! Sorry it took so long to update but I after what my muses did to my mansion... Well, needless to say, I screamed many foul words that just mentioning them could get me kicked off the web. Permanately. Anyway, I punished my muses by having them rewrite this chapter for me one hundred times. I'm harsh but I'm fair, right guys?

Bahamut: I can't feel my elbows.

Mewtwo: You still have elbows?

Poupoko: Chaaaaaooooo.

Me: Sigh. Alright you guys, enough. I cast enough Curaga's on you that I'm surprised you aren't sprouting flowers.

Mewtwo: That would explain the rosebud on my head this morning...

Me: Ooookay... Anyway. I'll be updating this and my other stories a bit more often now, especially since Prof. Genius is helping Morphy-otousan and Camille-chan.

Poupoko: Chao? Chachaoao?

Me: ... You know, that's a good idea! What say you two?

Bahamut & Mewtwo: Sure, why not?

Me: Oh come on! Unlimited access to Slumberland milk & honey?

Mewtwo: So what?

Me: Fun and hilarity all around?

Bahamut: Meh.

Me: All the cookies you can eat?

Bahamut & Mewtwo: LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD PEOPLE!

Me: My thoughts exactly!

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**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. ****

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter Two: Freedom's Chaos

Part Two: Prova di Amore

It wasn't looking good for them. Will knew this; Yan Lin knew this, heck even Blonk knew this and he wasn't even there to begin with! The current group of Guardians as well as the still-living Guardians that were their predecessors were in the mystical realm of law and order, the world known only as Kandrakar where the Congregation and the Oracle himself resided within. So far, the chief prosecutor against the Oracle, Endarno, had shown and spoken of the Oracle's past deeds after something he called the Forgotten War. He spoke of the idea that his position as Oracle should be passed on, by force if necessary. He never spoke of any candidates but it didn't take a scientist to figure out that the greedy Congregation member was pining for the Oracle's power. So far, the Guardians, past and present, have managed to hold their case against Endarno but had soon slipped into dangerous territory with the man.

A territory that involved the Five Beasts of Rakardnak.

* * *

"Members of the Congregation of Kandrakar!" said Endarno from his place behind a podium of fine crystal. "Let us focus more on the true reason that the Oracle is here on trial! Let us focus on the Beasts of Rakardnak!" There was a bright flash of light before a large ring of green energy appeared behind the long-haired human. Inside the ring was a distorted image that rapidly began to clear. 

The Congregation began to whisper amongst themselves as images of the Beasts began to play within the ring. Images that did not fully put them in the good light for it was not the images of the Beasts' human forms.

It was the Beasts of Before.

"Oh my god," whispered Taranee as she watched the Efreet that Eduardo became rip apart thousands of Meridian soldiers that stood between him and the first Guardian of Fire. The other Beasts were not portrayed any different. The Behemoth was shown leveling an entire city before the Leviathan caused a massive wave of water to flood the entire landscape surrounding the city, drowning the precious few that had escaped from being crushed. The Simurgh was displayed as a Beast of rage, soaring through the skies with hurricanes of destruction following in his wake. Then, there was the Dragon. Will could only cover her eyes but even doing that did not stop the sounds of the Dragon feasting upon the bodies of the dead Meridians.

"It is these Beasts that nearly killed us all centuries ago, and it is these Beasts that escaped from their prison a mere two years ago!" Endarno turned to glare at the Oracle who merely sat in his chair impassively. "And it was you; you who did not feel fit to tell us this."

"They're not like that anymore!" exclaimed Cornelia.

"Why? Because they are bonded to humans now? That makes them even more dangerous!" Endarno waved a hand at the energy ring. "And I shall show you how much so!"

Bastian sighed tiredly to himself as he walked beside his girlfriend, or rather her 'astral drop' as she and the others had called them, towards the Institute. It had already been two days since the girls had left for Kandrakar and though they had said that time was different in there, it didn't ease Bastian's concerns any. That and the Astral Will had been acting very strange. In fact, all the astral drops were acting rather peculiar. From what Samuel had told him, Astral Cornelia had been avoiding him and Axel had yet to even talk to Astral Irma because she had, apparently, been grounded for the entire week.

Something was definitely not right.

This was easily proven to Bastian when Astral Will suddenly ran ahead of him and threw a water balloon she had suddenly pulled from her pack straight at Principal Genmu. It was only Bastian's quick telekinetic reflexes that saved the raven-haired man from getting dunked in sour milk. Tossing the balloon away, and coincidentally hitting one of the Grumper sisters, Bastian ran up and twirled Astral Will about, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly.

"What the heck do you think you're doing? You could have gotten yourself in serious trouble!"

"Leave me alone! I'm not your girlfriend!" exclaimed Astral Will before racing off into the school.

"Something is up with her and the others…" muttered Bastian. "But what…?"

As the day progressed, the boys had found themselves using their powers far more frequently than ever from trying to keep the astral-girls from getting themselves suspended or worse, expelled. If they had so much as turned their back for a moment, the astral-girls would be doing something that not even Uriah and his gang had yet to do. Unfortunately, it wasn't until lunch that the real bomb finally dropped.

* * *

"Ugh…" Tenshi leaned against his watching tree with an exhausted sigh. "I do not wish to experience any of that ever again, de gozaru…" 

"Ya're tellin' me." Eduardo was lying flat on his back, his arms and legs spread akimbo. "W'at's up wit' dem anyway?"

"Your guess ist as good as mine," mumbled Axel from where he sat against the wall that separated their school from the outside roads and distraction hazards.

"Something must have gone wrong with the spell or something," said Samuel, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "What do you think, Bastian?"

"I don't know…" Bastian sighed from his seat on the stone bench beside the tree. "I don't know the full mechanics of this type of magic."

"Vell, at least they aren't going to do something stupid during lunch." Axel sighed.

Suddenly, there was the sound of several small explosions going off in the cafeteria followed shortly by the screams of the students still inside. The boys stared first at the cafeteria before looking at each other.

"They wouldn't…" said Tenshi

"They did. Eduardo, teleport us in there!" commanded Bastian. Eduardo nodded and grabbed onto Bastian and Samuel as they took a firm hold on Tenshi and Axel respectively. The five boys instantly disappeared from sight only to reappear a microsecond later inside the cafeteria. The place was in a mad shambles; there was food everywhere and the students weren't helping any by running around hysterically. The five astral-girls were amongst the few that had managed to escape the explosions of food and were currently laughing their heads off.

Bastian quickly moved forward and grabbed Astral-Will's shoulders. "What the heck are you girls doing? Are you trying to get yourselves expelled?" Suddenly, there was another series of small explosions followed by the sound of rushing water. "What the…?"

"Those would be the cherry bombs we put in the restrooms." Astral-Will stated, her voice calm as if she was talking about the weather.

"Cherry bombs? Where the heck did you get cherry bombs?" Bastian suddenly blinked with realization. "Genmu's office? Did you steal those from his confiscation bin in his office?"

"Yep."

Bastian frowned and turned to Eduardo. "Teleport us away from here. Now."

"Ya're da boss, Boss-Mon." Eduardo and the others enveloped the astral-girls in a massive group hug and were teleported away in the blink of an eye. Their sudden disappearance did not go fully unnoticed.

"Hmmm. So it is true…"

They landed on the cliff that had become their new training grounds. The boys stepped back from the astral-girls and crossed their arms, all of them, including Eduardo, suddenly looked like disapproving fathers and though they wished they didn't, the astral-girls flinched at the sight.

"Vhat vere you girls doing? Have you lost your minds?" hissed Axel, somehow glaring at them even without his eyes.

"Stop talking to us like that!" exclaimed Astral-Irma angrily, her eyes slightly wet.

"Like what?" demaned Samuel, his eyes narrowed. "Like ticked off boyfriends concerned about their girlfriends?" The still single boys blushed slightly but didn't say anything to contradict Samuel's words.

"Like we're REAL!" shouted Astral-Cornelia before she looked off to the side, her anger melting away into depression. "You know we're not…"

"W'at makes ya say dat? You're real as me nose says ya are." Eduardo stated matter-of-factly.

"That's because we're copies." Astral-Taranee explained. "Cheap copies…"

"We're all imitations…" whispered Astral-Hay Lin. "Shadows of the real thing…"

"You most certainly are not, de gozaru!" exclaimed Tenshi, shocked at the sight of his normally happily smiling girl frowning with sadness. Bastian held a hand out.

"Let us talk more in private." He stepped up and took Astral-Will's hand and guided her towards the cliff's edge. The other boys exchanged looks before moving to their own spots with their astral-girl partner.

* * *

"So do you want to tell me where this idea came from?" Bastian stared out across the valley before glancing back at the silent astral drop whose eyes were more focused on the ground beneath her feet. "C'mon, Will—" 

"Don't call me that! I'm nothing like her."

"That's not true," protested Bastian. "You and her—"

"Are one and the same, right?"

"Actually, you aren't."

"What?" Astral-Will turned her head to look at Bastian, whose eyes were once more focused on the valley below.

"You and Will are alike, yes, but you're different too. You're a manifestation of everything that composes Will with the freedom to express yourself." Bastian turned to look at her, his eyes shining with the same expression that always appeared whenever he looked at her. "You are the sparkle in her eyes when she's happy." He stepped closer to her even as she took a step back from him. "You are the musical note in her laughter." Another step. "The warmth in her heart."

Astral-Will swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat and struggled to hold back the tears in her eyes. She had run out of space to back away from Bastian and was stuck watching as he drew nearer to her. "St-Stop it."

"You are the blush on her face when she's embarrassed. You are the tears she sheds when she's sad." He stood before her, his emerald eyes staring into her brown ones. "You are not made of Will, you are what makes Will."

Astral-Will's eyes overflowed with tears as she moved her hands to her face. Sobbing, she tried to wipe her eyes clear of her tears but they continued to fall even as Bastian wrapped his arms around her slim form and hugged her to him, letting her tears soak his shirt even as his own fell to land on her hair.

"I love you, Bastian…"

"And I will love you forever and a day, my dear heart."

* * *

Eduardo stretched his arms upwards as he moseyed on over towards the grove of various wildflowers before sitting down at the edge with Astral-Taranee staying on her feet behind him. Eduardo took a deep sniff of the air and sighed, his happy grin growing slightly at the scent of the wildflowers. Nature always did help his nose after spending time in the city for too long. 

"Soooo…" he said slowly, "Wanna talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Eduardo." Astral-Taranee stated calmly before narrowing her eyes at Eduardo's dreadlocked head. "And don't talk to me like that."

"Like w'at?"

"Like I am Taranee!"

Eduardo's grin shifted into a playful smirk. "Ya are Taranee, Taranee."

"I am not!" denied the astral drop. "Nothing about me is real! This body, these thoughts, these feelings for you—" Astral-Taranee blushed bright crimson and covered her mouth with a near-silent gasp. Eduardo merely looked up at her, his smile gone and an alien look of seriousness on his face.

"And w'at feelings are dey?" he asked, his voice serene despite the fireworks that were primed to go off in his head at the right word.

Astral-Taranee turned her back to him, hiding her red face and muttered. "I told you, they're not real."

Eduardo smirked and stood to stand just behind her and spoke slowly past her ear. He had seen Bastian do the same with Will with marvelous effects so, hopefully, it would be the same. "Den you wouldn't be mindin' 'bout tellin' me since dey ain't real."

Astral-Taranee gritted her teeth as her hands clenched themselves into fists. He knew what he was doing and she knew that he knew and she didn't like it one bit! "Fine! I love you okay? Oh wait, I'm sorry." Astral-Taranee glared down at the ground. "The REAL Taranee loves you."

Eduardo's grin reached record lengths as the fireworks in his mind went off with a hearty bang. Life had immediately just turned good. "I love you too, Taranee." Astral-Taranee smiled slightly but kept her back to him. He said he loved Taranee and she wasn't Taranee, no matter what he said. "Do ya want to know why I be lovin' ya?"

Astral Taranee turned slightly to look at him. She hadn't expected him to ask her that. "What?"

"Do ya want to know why I be lovin' ya?" Astral Taranee remained silent so Eduardo took that as an invitation to speak. "Cause o' de way you go all out ta accomplish ya're obstacles. Cause o' dat light dat enters your eyes when ya smile. Dat little pout wheneva ya're mad abou' somethin'. De way ya play wit' yer hair when ya're nervous…" Astral-Taranee glanced at her hands and saw that they were indeed playing with her hair braid.

"So-So what?" she asked him, pointedly looking away until she felt his breath upon her ear.

"So this, me lady." Eduardo carefully brought Astral-Taranee's face to his own and gently pressed his lips to her own.

* * *

Axel tapped his stick along the rocky pathway even as his slightly pointed ears twitched and received the sound waves, transforming them into crystal clear images within his mind. It wasn't until he heard the faint trickles of the small stream did he stop and release Astral-Irma's hand. The duo stood there in silence for some time, one with eyes focused on the sky while the other listened to the stream's words and heeded his next move carefully. 

"Do you believe in karma, Liebling?" Astral-Irma turned to look at the back of Axel's head in puzzlement.

"What?"

"Karma. You know, vhat goes around comes around und all that." Axel tilted his head up and smiled slightly.

"What are you—?"

"A good example I guess vould come from mein old job over in Heirelgart. Besides my undervorld dealings, I vorked in mein Uncle's grocery mart. It vas a rather busy day seeing as I vas one of the few bagboys left since the rest had a case of stickyidus on their fingers. Anyvay, I vas helping a cashier bag some groceries vhen this man comes up to her and says, '_Vhere are my god-dang eggs? I vant my god-dang eggs!_' So in order to keep the crowd from joining the man in his chant for eggs, the cashier sent me to help him find some of his 'god-dang eggs'.

"As ve valked, I found out ve had one-dozen eggs, two dozen eggs, but no eighteen eggs and the man vanted his eighteen eggs. I look to make sure the man isn't as blind as I am now, und, surprisingly, the man is correct. I tell him to vait for a moment vhile I go and check the backroom freezers. Vhen I arrive, I find that ve do have some, but a few of the eggs are broken and since I can't switch them around, diseases and all that, I try to find a pack that has good eggs.

"Not more than a minute later, the man busts into the backroom, busts into the freezer and says again, '_Vhere are my god-dang eggs?_' I tell him mein uncle's policy and he replies, '_To heck vith that,_' and switches some eggs around, buys them, und leaves. It isn't until I talk vith mein uncle that I find out that those eggs were over the expiration date.

"By about two veeks."

The only sounds that fell to Axel's slightly-pointed ears were the voices of his comrades and the other Guardians, but his Guardian made not a sound. A fish splashed out from the stream and landed back with aquatic glee and still there was silence. A giggle, small and short, but a giggle nonetheless reached his ears. A large smile started to form on Axel's pale face as Astral-Irma's giggles turned to unladylike hee haws. Soon, Axel too joined in her laughter until the both of them collapsed onto the soft earth.

"Two weeks? Really?" Astral-Irma's giggling dying away as she spoke.

"There's about ja." Axel smiled and turned his head to face Astral-Irma. "Did you get vhat I mean though?"

"I guess… I shouldn't act like a jerk because, in the end, it will still be me that's affected by it. Right?"

"Mmm, ja. But I vas thinking something a vee bit different." Astral-Irma suddenly became aware of Axel's slowly leaning forward.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

Axel smiled and whispered into her ear. "I love you, my Water-Nymph." He could feel the warmth from her blushing face and could literally hear her trembling quite easily. "There's just one thing I have to say."

"R-Really? What's that?" Astral-Irma's eyes fluttered to a close as her breathing quickened.

CLICK.

"Gotcha." Astral-Irma opened her eyes to see Axel with a miniature camera in his hands and an Eduardo-like grin adorning his pale face. "Later, Nymphy." With a quick peck to her cheek, he ran as far from the astral drop as he could; he was just heading up the path when he heard it.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGH! You're gonna DIE!"

The chase was on.

* * *

Samuel leaned heavily against a large tree as Astral-Cornelia did the same, neither looking at the other for quite some time. Astral-Cornelia's eyes were closed as she loosely crossed her arms across her chest while Samuel glared at the ground with heated passion, his own arms crossed angrily across his muscled chest. 

"So I'm a liar huh?"

Astral-Cornelia looked up at Samuel, confusion radiating from her pale blue eyes. "What?"

"I lied right? I wasn't real so everything I said, everything I promised to you was a lie, isn't that what you're saying?" Samuel glared at her. "I may not have been there completely, Corn-head but I meant everything I said."

"What are you talking about?" exclaimed an exasperated Astral-Cornelia.

"I'm talking about my golem!" yelled Samuel, his brown eyes dark under the tree's shade. His golem's eyes had been blue, a fact that echoed across Astral-Cornelia's mind as Samuel continued with his ranting. "Didn't you just say that you weren't real?"

"Well yes but—"

"So in effect, anything that you say or do does not reflect the 'real' you?"

"Well—"

"I'm not finished." Samuel glared at Astral-Cornelia, who stared at him in surprise. "I'll get right to the point, the relationship we have now is fake. Why? Because it started with a 'copy' and only recently picked up by the 'real thing'. No relationship can be built like that, not healthily anyway.

"So where do we stand?" Samuel turned his back on Astral-Cornelia, not wanting to see the terrified look adorning her face. "Are we friends? Lovers? Or merely comrades-in-arms? If everything and anything that I did as Caleb was nothing more than a 'shadow of the real thing' than we have nothing to go on."

"Stop it!" Samuel turned to see tears flowing down Astral-Cornelia's face. "I don't want to start over! I want us to be what we were before and what we are now! I want to love you, Samuel!"

Samuel smiled softly and wrapped his arms around Astral-Cornelia as she wept into his shoulder. "And that is why you are real, Cornelia. If you really were nothing but a shadow you wouldn't care at all about where our love took us." Astral-Cornelia mumbled something inaudible into his shirt, but Samuel had a vague feeling that it was something of a backhanded insult. "I love you too, Corn-head."

* * *

Tenshi stared up at the clouds idly from his perch amongst the branches of a large tree whose highest branches just reached the top of the cliff that served as their training grounds. Astral-Hay Lin was sitting beside him, refusing to look at him after he had easily tricked her into climbing up after him. In all honesty, Tenshi had no idea what to do in this situation, he was so completely unused to the sight of a sad Hay Lin that he couldn't help but feel weird. 

"So… wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," murmured Astral-Hay Lin. Tenshi sighed and glanced down at the ground and idly noticed a small songbird flitting about between the branches beneath them. The bird was darting about in a near erratic fashion that heavily reminded Tenshi of how he was before he became a Beast. Maybe it was time to allow that spontaneous-ness to reemerge once more…

"Hay Lin?"

"What?" She still kept her eyes, and her face, turned away from him. He needed her to look at him if his plan was to work.

"Um…" Suddenly, a thought hit him straight between the eyes. It was the only idea that could work, even if it did end up putting him in the birdcage for sure. "You can't draw worth a dang, de gozaru."

Astral-Hay Lin's spine stiffened with ice. Yep. He was most definitely going to the birdcage if this didn't work out right. Astral-Hay Lin turned to face him, her eyes narrowed and glowing with her anger, and opened her mouth to speak when Tenshi placed his lips over her own, silencing her heated words before they could even be formed. Before she could even have the chance to move into or away from the kiss, Tenshi pulled back and gazed upon her slightly flushed face; his own a radiant pink.

"Wha-What was—? Why did you—?" Astral-Hay Lin struggled to speak.

"Uh, well… I was wondering if, perhaps, you could be my… girlfriend?" Astral-Hay Lin stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before they narrowed and she turned to look away. Tenshi could almost feel his heart break.

"I'm sorry, Tenshi but we… I don't know if we could even have a relationship besides friendship." Astral-Hay Lin began fingering her sleeves in anxiety. "I mean, we hardly know anything about each other…" Tenshi gazed at Astral-Hay Lin's pigtails as they floated to the wind's caresses in silence.

"… Impulse."

"What?"

"Your favorite comic book hero is Impulse and you prefer DC over Marvel, though you love Spider-Man, your favorite manga is Fullmetal Alchemist because you think Alphonse is 'cute', your favorite color is silver, and your pastimes include: drawing, sketching, painting, anything with art basically. You help out at your family's restaurant and your favorite dish is the teriyaki chicken. You have a variety of writing utensils, the likes of which include markers, pens, pencils, crayons, pastels, and a few of those scented ones, which you use to write on your hands so you don't forget important stuff like dates and stuff."

Astral-Hay Lin blinked multiple times before slowly turning back around to face a slightly blushing Tenshi, who merely watched her uneasily for a moment before looking at the ground.

"… Tennis."

It was Tenshi's turn to feel confused. "Nani?"

"Your favorite sport is tennis, and your favorite color is purple. You prefer Marvel over DC, even though you think Batman is the coolest, and your pastimes are exactly like mine but you prefer drawing the 'real' world. Your favorite anime includes: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fruits Basket, Dragonball Z, Trigun, and Rurouni Kenshin. You like to speak like him too," Astral-Hay Lin tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment before continuing. "You like sushi with lots of wasabi and you prefer drinking Mountain Dew than anything else."

Tenshi blinked twice and spoke slowly, hesitantly, "Does that mean… what I think it means…?"

Astral-Hay Lin gave him a heartfelt smile and leaned forward enough to give him a quick kiss to his cheek. "Yes, de gozaru."

* * *

Will smiled a watery smile as she gently brushed her eyes free of tears. "That sweet-talking jerk… always making me cry…" 

Taranee, meanwhile, was having an internal debate about whether or not choking her own astral-drop wasn't something Freudian in nature as she struggled to keep her blush in control. Irma was just giggling at the sight of Axel running away from her astral-drop and secretly hoping that this game that she had started with him didn't have an ending.

"You can run but you hide my slippery little snake," murmured Irma, her eyes alight with the future mischief she would bring upon Axel. Hay Lin, while giggling happily at the circumstances behind her and Tenshi's relationship, couldn't help but feel slightly cheated out of her first kiss. Cornelia was merely smiling and hugging her right elbow as she watched herself embrace her soul mate through the spells that Endarno had set up so that the Congregation could see how monstrous the Beasts could be.

Speaking of the Congregation member, Endarno was positively incensed at the mockery the five Beasts were unknowingly doing upon him and his reputation. There were making an outright fool of him and ruining his plans for attaining the Oracle's power! If the Congregation agreed with the Oracle, then he would be allowed to keep his powers and the Guardians would be allowed their powers and the Beasts their lives! (_NO! I will not all that I have worked for go to waste! I did not waste all of my remaining power to transfer myself to this fool just for him to lose our only chance!_) A dark presence deep within Endarno's soul hissed angrily and flickered with dark energies, its control over Endarno's actions strengthening and twisting his character even more.

'_I'll be damned if I let the Oracle continue with his power and mind games! He doesn't deserve the power and title of Oracle, only one such as I, who has forsaken all earthly desires deserve such a thing!_' Endarno's scar flickered as a terribly wicked thought occurred to him. If the Congregation would not see or listen to reason, he would make them experience it, and to Hell with the consequences!

* * *

The five boys and their respectful astral-drops slowly gathered at their point of emergence. School would, undoubtedly, be cancelled if only for the rest of the day and they still had to explain to their parents exactly why they didn't tell them immediately. However, any such discussion as to what kind of story they could use was quickly put to a screeching halt as a purple circle of light appeared them, easily sucking up the astral-drops into its swirling vortex. The ring disappeared as quickly as it came only to be replaced by a large crystalline orb that showed to the five boys what fate had befallen their loved one's astral drops and, ultimately, their loved ones themselves. 

The images were quick and to the point; blood was spilled and flesh and bone were torn away as silent screams pierced the darkness of the crystalline prison the Guardians were in. In the end, the boys could do nothing more than stare in wide-eyed horror as their friends were killed in ways that few of the harshest criminals deserved to witness let alone bare. When the finality of the Guardians' deaths were portrayed within its crystalline surface, the sphere rotated slightly to show the glowing world that was Kandrakar and the sole being responsible for the act before disappearing altogether.

The boys stood there, their faces whiter than snow and their eyes wider than saucers of the flying sort. Slowly, a fierce rumble began to build in their chests as their eyes narrowed into thin slits. Bastian fiercely grabbed the Fang of Rakardnak and screamed into the once peaceful forest air, "BEASTS UNLEASH!" The transformations from men to beasts was quick and without any musical accompaniment. In fact, any noise that the Beasts made resembled music as much as a dog resembled a cat. Instead of the wistful sounds of flutes or the deep bellows of drums, there were long hisses of anger and loud growls of hatred.

The Beasts were angry and thirsty for vengeance.

And they would claim it no matter what the cost.

The Dragon stepped forward, ahead of the monstrous group, and roared into the rapidly darkening sky as the sole golden scale adorning his chest began to glow with burning white light. Though the humans within them had never entered the realm of Kandrakar before, the Beasts' bodies still recalled the journey and the necessary magic needed to enter its heavenly light. Even now, certain parts of the other Beasts began to glow as they gathered the proper energies needed to tear their way into Kandrakar.

Literally.

The Efreet snarled and dug his claws into the ground as his antlers matched the Dragon's light with the Behemoth's own horns doing the same beside him. The Leviathan towering behind them hissed as the angler on his forehead flickered to life, his coils twisting and turning in obvious agitation. The Simurgh circled high above them, his primary flight feathers also alight with the same burning whiteness. Dark storm clouds began to rumble as rain began to fall heavily to the ground with thin bolts of lightning arcing against the sky like claw marks. The forest trembled and shook from the stampedes of wildlife that were desperately fleeing from the enraged Beasts, their natural instincts of survival screaming inside their heads. Even the animals that were out of range of the oncoming devastation felt the foreign yet familiar terror and also tried to escape from their homes, few meeting actual success.

Suddenly, it happened!

A triforce of lightning had finally arced downwards and struck against the center of the arcane circle the Beasts had unwittingly formed and had given them the required power to enter the pathway into Kandrakar, and enter it they did with no hesitation in any of them. The only evidence they left behind was a large smoking crater that spanned over a hundred meters in length and was near fifty meters deep. Nothing with the circle had survived save for the five creatures that were responsible for the destruction in the first place.

However, the Beasts' journey would not be easy for much had changed on the Pathway since they had last used it. Spells and arcane arts decorated its nonexistent surface, spells that plagued the mind with dreams of what-if's and what-could-be's while the arts plagued the soul with nightmares of may-be's and possibly-be's. With their minds and hearts so set on the event that had led them to take the Pathway, the Beasts were not plagued by the ancient spells but the damages done by the arts were multiplied tenfold in comparison to what their Guardians had undergone.

More scenes of death and torture played across their minds, further driving them into a feral rage the likes of which haunted all the Congregation members who had been unfortunate enough to bear witness to the attack and those that suffered physically from the attack… Their minds were nearly wiped clean of the attacks. As the nightmares began to grow in intensity, the Beasts' speed rapidly began to increase to the point that their very passing was creating what could be called sonic booms across the dimensional planes, bringing unneeded and unwanted attention from the inhabitants of those worlds. However, the Beasts had little care for any of that for they had finally arrived at their destination.

Kandrakar.

The Beasts snarled and snapped at the air before looking towards the Dragon, their natural awareness of his place as the alpha chaining them just enough. The Dragon merely roared and took to the sky alongside the Simurgh even as the remaining three charged forward towards the vast complex that was the sole building in all of Kandrakar.

The Behemoth was not only the first to reach the complex, but he was the first to do the most damage in one blow. Indeed, the Behemoth had kept increasing his charging until he had broken through wall after wall until he had eventually made a clear path to the Congregation. The Efreet tore into the large meeting chamber, his large jaws snapping; fangs glistening in the natural light of Kandrakar. Even as the Congregation became aware of the sudden change in atmosphere and tried their best to subdue them, though quite a few had fainted merely at the sight of them, the Leviathan slithered his way into the vast chamber, his large angler glowing with hypnotic light.

From above, the Dragon hovered high over the glass dome that covered the meeting chamber even as the Simurgh circled above him. With a fierce shriek, the monstrous bird clapped his eagle wings together, sending forth a large blast of tightly compressed air that did to the dome what a cannonball would to do ordinary stone. With their own way clear, the two flyers quickly plowed through the hole with one landing amidst the confusion of the Congregation while the other circle above them like a monstrously overgrown vulture.

The Dragon did not care that his pack was far too busy dealing with the spells and weapons being used against them to completely focus on finding the One, even if they weren't he would not allow them the pleasure of killing it. His third eye opened as wide as possible and glowing with magenta-light, the Dragon searched through the vast numbers that made up the Congregation of Kandrakar for the One when suddenly, he was there! With a victorious roar, the Dragon leapt forward and slammed a large clawed forehand down upon the One, his cry bringing his pack into attention as well as the Congregation. For a long time, all was still and silent as the Dragon glared down at the One who had taken his Guardian-mate from him as well as the other Guardians from their respected mates, his pack. The One who was of two souls but of one body.

Endarno.

Natural and mystical instincts were in a war with one another inside him. The natural side wanted to kill Endarno, rip him to pieces and devour them wholly and completely before moving on to the rest of the Congregation. The mystical side wanted him to do to Endarno what he had done to the Guardians but a thousand times worse and a lot more slowly. It was then that the final side of him spoke; the human side. Would Will want this? For him to become a murderer to avenge her from a death won in a line of duty to the being who had granted her and them their powers? When it was a choice between her life and another's, he would, more than likely, choose hers. '_But she's not alive… not anymore… and nothing I do can change that…_' None of the girls save Cornelia had actually died and even Cornelia's body possessed enough life left in it to for her soul to be brought back. There wasn't even a body for Will to return to thanks to Endarno.

Then why not kill him?

Because it isn't what Will would want.

Will wouldn't want you to avenge her death?

No… not like this…

Endarno stared up in horror as the massive head of the Dragon lowered down until all three of his eyes were glaring into his own. (**_You are under arrest for the crime of murder in the first degree._**)

"What?" Endarno's surprise wasn't alone amongst the Congregation and even the other Beasts whom had now gained enough sense about them to stare at their leader.

(**_Have you lost it?_**) Samuel stomped forward. (**_Do you even remember what he did!_**)

(**_I remember…_**) Bastian sighed and looked back at his friends. (**_But I will not stoop so low as to become what he is. Would Will want that? Would Cornelia?_**) Samuel visibly flinched and stepped back from Bastian. Tenshi landed upon the broad Behemoth's back and tilted his head at Bastian.

(**_Vhat vill ve do vith him then?_**) asked Axel. Bastian grinned a wicked smile and waved a wing over at Eduardo; he had not failed to see the dog-like claw marks that adorned Endarno's left eye.

(**_Eduardo must tell him his rights first._**) Eduardo tilted his antlered head for a moment before a mad grin appeared on his large muzzle. Stepping up to the gray-haired man, Eduardo leaned down enough that his fangs just barely hovered over Endarno's nose.

(**_Ya 'ave de right ta remain silent, so shut up!_**) Eduardo snapped his jaws for emphasis, earning several lighter shades of white from the aged man. (**_Ya 'ave de right ta an attorney, if ya can't afford an attorney, we'll provide you wit' de dumbest lawyer on Earth! If ya get Johnny Cochrane, I'll bite ya!_**) Eduardo once again snapped his jaws, effectively causing Endarno to faint dead away.

"There will be no need for that." A voice spoke out from seemingly no where. The Beasts looked up and snarled angrily, their voices sounding once again like rich music but still fierce-sounding nonetheless.

(**_We are not letting a murderer walk free, de gozaru._**) Tenshi spread his wing wide as Axel lifted his head up to the gaping hole in the ceiling. The Oracle merely smiled sadly and shook his head slowly.

"Endarno may be many things, much more now that I have realized, but he is no murderer." The Oracle looked up at the Beasts and smiled a genuine smile. "When I saw the illusions he had cast upon you, I merely 'hid' the Guardians from you."

The Beasts' eyes widened as their postures changed from tense to stunned. (**_What?_**) The Oracle merely waved an arm behind him and both sets of Guardians were revealed to the stunned Beasts who stood there silently. Suddenly, with a flash of gold light, the Beasts were gone and in their place stood five ecstatic teenaged boys that rushed at their group of Guardians with tears in their eyes. Words and small helpings of their love were exchanged between them, reassuring the fact that they were indeed alive and giving rest to the coldness that had descended upon their friends when they had 'died' in front of them.

Suddenly, all five boys tensed and whirled about, placing themselves in front of their respected Guardians, and the previous ones as well, as Endarno rose to his feet, dark-colored energies swirling around him. The Fang of Rakardnak began to glow with golden light as the dark cloud surrounding Endarno twisted into a distinctly familiar shape that shot an arrow of ice right into the Guardian's, old and new, hearts.

"Phobos…" whispered a horrified Will.

"_Surprised? Did you really think you could get rid of me so easily?_" Though it was Endarno's mouth that formed the words, it was not his voice that spoke them. Had either of them been in Beast form, Eduardo and Samuel's hair would have been standing near straight up. Phobos' voice was cold and near empty of anything that resembled human, not that the Dark Prince ever was to begin with. It was not hard to believe that his name was fitting.

Phobos, the ancient Greek word for Fear.

But that didn't mean that the Beasts were afraid.

"I don't know who, or what, you are," Bastian snarled, stepping forward. "But I can sense the evil in you and I know that you are not welcomed here!"

"_Do you really think you can stop me?_" hissed Phobos, his form darkening. "_I control one of the strongest members of the Congregation!_"

"So what?" growled Samuel, walking forward to stand beside Bastian. "That in itself proves how much of a coward you really are!"

Phobos' eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as the energies that formed him darkened to the point that he was near obsidian. "_Do I know you?_"

"You better. I was the supplier of the essence you used to make Caleb!" Samuel's eyes took on a greenish tint for the briefest moment.

Phobos straightened and glared down at the boy that, as a golem, had been a thorn in his side for as long as he could remember. "_And they say you can't get want you want…_" Phobos reeled back a hand before waving it forward and sending a black bolt of lightning at Samuel who merely remained standing where he was. Suddenly, much to Phobos' and Samuel's surprise, a large wall of diamonds burst forth from the ground and reflected the bolt back at the spirit. However, the bolt dissipated from existence before it could strike against its creator.

Phobos snarled angrily and started to power another attack when both he and Endarno were suddenly surrounded by an orb of light. "_What the hell?_" Before he could say anything more, both he and his host were transported down to the very prison that had housed the Five Beasts of Rakardnak. All eyes turned to the Oracle, who merely smiled sadly at them before stepping up onto the podium to address the Congregation.

"My friends, it would seem that all is truly not well. Our attentions have been too broad and because of our own arrogance, myself included, one of our bravest has fallen into the arms of darkness. We need as many allies as we can for the dark times that are ahead. I have gazed into the future many times since this Congregation, and sub sequentially the Guardians had been formed, and each time I would see the goodness of Light triumph over the evil of Darkness.

"Now, all I see is nothing.

"The lives of the entire multiverse rest upon us and the chosen Guardians of the Veil _and_ the Beasts. Now is not the time to fight with them or ourselves, we must prepare for a war the likes of which has not been seen in many eons now."

"Oracle…" spoke Tibor hesitantly. "Do you mean to say…?"

"Yes." The Oracle tilted his head down and stared at the ground sadly. "Our time of peace is over. The Forgotten War is going to begin anew and this time, I fully fear the outcome for I know not whether or not if either side will win this time." There was silence from the vast Congregation before utter chaos broke out amongst them as each tried to speak their mind and opinions. The Oracle sighed tiredly and stepped down from the podium before turning to the confused Guardians.

"There is nothing here that requires your attentions nor is there anything more that I can do for you." The Oracle paused before stepping forward to address Bastian and the Beasts. "But perhaps there is something I can do for you. Your powers are great but you have little understanding over them and your alternate selves. You must gain control of both and you must discover the truth behind the beings who sacrificed their entireties to you."

Bastian swallowed a gulp of nervousness and asked, "Then… will you teach us… Sir?"

The Oracle smiled slightly and shook his head. "No. Even if I had the proper skills to do so, my time must be more focused on the gathering of our allies. Our enemies are already stronger than the Guardians of the Veil," the Oracle waved a hand at said girls. "And nearly overpowered you five; I must do my best to strengthen our side enough that hope, above all else, can remain."

"Will you at least tell who our teacher will be then, Oracle-sama?" asked Tenshi, his voice slightly tense. The Oracle smiled a slightly wider smile.

"Teachers, Tenshi-san, and no I cannot, but the clue rests in your mother's museum. Now, if you'll excuse me." The Oracle turned and began to walk towards the podium to address the Congregation.

"Wha' is de Forgotten War?" The Oracle stopped and slowly turned to look at Eduardo.

"… Your teachers will have the answers you seek. Goodbye." Will a flare of magic, the five Beasts and both generations of Guardians disappeared.

"May Destiny guide them."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**OMAKE: What was said.**

---

"I thought you were dead," whispered Bastian into Will's hair as he hugged her close to him, her own arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "The link was gone and I almost…"

"But you didn't," Will smiled up at her beau, a smile that quickly turned into a smirk. "I also forgot to mention something about astral drops. When they return to their body, they bring with them all the memories of the events they dealt with."

"… All of them…?"

"All of them," Will playfully smacked Bastian's shoulder. "Stop making me cry you sweet-talker."

"So you want me to stop sweet-talking?"

"Nah, I like your sweet-talks. Just stop making me cry cause of them."

"I'll do my best," Bastian leaned down and pressed his lips to Will's.

---

Eduardo twirled Taranee around as he laughed like the maniac that he was. "I can't be believin' it! Ya're okay!"

"Of course I am," murmured Taranee, a faint pink hue adorning her cheeks, "Worried?"

"Betta believe it," grinned Eduardo, "I ain't gonna be losin' me heart as soon as I found it now!" Suddenly, Eduardo became unnaturally serious and stopped his spinning but did not release his hold around Taranee's waist. "Ya… do know wha' happened right? Wha' yar drop said an' all dat?"

Taranee smiled impishly and leaned down enough for her lips to meet Eduardo's in a chaste kiss. As her silently acquired boyfriend blinked in surprise, Taranee grinned and whispered into his ear. "I've been practicing. How about we tango later?"

Eduardo blinked once again before grinning his mad grin, "Oh yeah!"

---

Axel kept one arm firmly around Irma's shoulders while his spare arm tapped against the ground so that he could see Irma's face, her familiar heartbeat not being enough to fully reassure him. "You are vell, ja? It vas nothing but an illusion?"

"Completely and wholly." Irma stated, "We didn't even know what the jerk had done until you guys literally busted in here. Which reminds me…" Irma leaned forward so that her lips were close to Axel's earring adorned ear. "You better watch yourself, only I'm allowed to gather such blackmail material."

Axel's cane stopped its tapping for a brief moment before a challenging smirk appeared on his pale face. "Oh, it's on, meine leibe. It's on."

---

"I still think we should have at least scared the crap outta of him a bit more," grumbled Samuel. Cornelia, whose arms were wrapped around his left arm, glared up at him for a moment.

"Don't go putting yourself into a deeper hole, Samuel. I'm still not happy about the conversation we had earlier."

"Conversation? What—? Oh yeah…" Samuel immediately became nervous and eyed Cornelia like one would eye a poisonous snake ready to strike. "I didn't mean any of it, Cornelia! At least, not the parts that made you cry! … Okay, most of it did do that but I didn't mean it!"

Cornelia slowly raised her hand up to Samuel's head, causing the taller boy to wince slightly in preparation for the oncoming smack. He was quite surprised, and a bit offended, to hear a 'ker-whish' sound from Cornelia as she waved her hand like a whip.

"Hey! I am not whipped!"

"Oh really?" Cornelia stood on her toes and whispered something into Samuel's ear. The trench coat-wearing teen's face went stark pale to deep crimson to pale again before resuming its normal color.

"Not until after the vows are made, Corn-Head."

---

"So… do you remember everything?" Tenshi quietly whispered to the girl that his arms had currently wrapped themselves around with bear-like force.

"You mean the parts about you convincing me to become your girlfriend?" asked Hay Lin. "Transparently clear, my Samurai." Tenshi blinked and glanced down at Hay Lin.

"Samurai, ka?"

"Yeah, seemed to fit. Why? Don't you like it?"

"Iie, I like it, de gozaru… Bishoujo-chan."

"Bishoujo-chan?" Hay Lin looked up at the slightly taller Tenshi, whose face was as pink as pink could be. "What does that mean?"

"It means, Little Girl of Beauty, de gozaru." Hay Lin smiled a toothy smile.

"I am going to have so much fun making clothes for you!"

"N-Nani?"

**

* * *

****A/N:**

I know that I wrote that the Oracle would explain the truth behind the Beasts and the "Fang" but as I wrote this, I began to feel that the Oracle wasn't mystical enough since he was obviously not beastial enough to teach the Beasts, and in-sequencially the Guardians, how to better control their powers. That's when it hit me. The Beasts and Guardians needed not just someone that was both beast and mystic at the same time but several someone's, and there's no one in the entire multiverse that fit that description better than them!

Who are they?

Well...

You'll have to wait and see!

But here's a tiny clue.

A

W

V

B


	18. Pathways to Riddles

Me: YAY! We're here!

Bahamut: Whopee. Now, where are those cookies?

Me: Check the pantry, I gotta go surprise Camille! (Runs off)

Mewtwo: Oh he thinks he's going to surprise _her._

Poupoko: (Snickers)

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. ****

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter Two: Freedom's Chaos

Part Three: Pathways to Riddles

The Beasts and Guardians, as well as the previous generation consisting of Kadma, past Guardian of Earth, and Yan Lin, past Guardian of Air, sat in the closed Silver Dragon Restaurant as Hay Lin's parents slept peacefully upstairs. It had been a few hours after the incident at the school and both the Guardians and Beasts were pleased to find that not only was Uriah and his gang blamed for the mess, but the Grumper Sisters as well. Now, with their parents thinking another sleepover was occurring, none aware that it was co-ed, they were free to talk about the events that had occurred.

"So ve're suppose to find these teachers… and prepare for a var as vell?" asked Axel.

"I guess so…" Taranee looked up at Yan Lin and Kadma. "Do either of you two know what the 'Forgotten War' is?"

"No," sighed Kadma. "Not much was really spoken between us and the Oracle after…" Kadma broke herself off and glared up at the ceiling.

"Regardless," spoke Yan Lin, taking attention away from the silent Kadma, "We must find these 'teachers' if you five are to learn better control of your Beast forms."

"And the girls' powers as well, de gozaru." Eleven pairs of eyes turned to look at Tenshi who blushed slightly at the sudden attention. "Nani?"

"What do you mean 'use our powers'?" asked Cornelia. "Since when could you guys do that?"

"You didn't notice?" asked a confused Tenshi who then looked at Bastian. "Even you, Okashira?" Bastian blinked at the nickname and started to shake his head negatively when he paused.

"Actually… I remember sensing something different about Samuel's aura, but it wasn't long enough for me to really take serious note of it." Samuel quirked an eyebrow.

"What about my aura?"

"For a brief second… it was like it was covered by Cornelia's." Bastian said.

Tenshi nodded. "Hai. Even the Shadow was different, de gozaru." All eyes turned back to Tenshi again. "What now?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Irma. "The entire dimension was lit up brighter than a Christmas tree! Save for that jerk Phobos of course…"

"The Shadow of the Beasts. I can see them clear as day."

Tenshi raised a hand and pointed at Bastian. "The First One."

To Eduardo. "The Herald of the End."

To Axel. "The Fighter of the Last Battle."

To Samuel. "The Ancient One."

To himself. "The Watcher of All."

There was a long silence from the group before Samuel decided to interrupt it in the best way possible. "What the _heck_ does all that mean?"

Tenshi shrugged. "I don't know, my Beast merely called himself and yours that." Yan Lin leaned forward.

"Your Beast actually spoke to you?"

"Hai he did, de gozaru."

"Mine didn't." Bastian grumbled, looking slightly off-put.

"Nor mine, mon," said Eduardo.

"Mine did," replied Axel, "in German no less."

"Yeah," nodded Samuel. "Mine did the same thing. Arrogant git too."

"But why didn't ours speak?" asked Bastian.

"Maybe they didn't know how too. I mean, because ours 'arrived' later than yours, they vere in our minds longer so they vere probably able to assimilate our language. Mine spoke my base language and I'm guessing that if yours was inside you long enough, yours would speak Spanish, Eduardo." Axel said. Silence once again loomed.

"Well," said Hay Lin, her voice quite cheerful as she broke the silence that had been lording over them once again. "That's one mystery solved!"

"Yeah and only a ba-gillion more to go," muttered Irma sarcastically.

Will sighed tiredly and rubbed her forehead. "We'll talk more about this in the morning, all right? Let's just get some sleep."

"One more question, mon," said Eduardo. When all eyes were on him, Eduardo held up the knapsack that contained his sleeping bag and pajamas. "Where do I sleep?"

* * *

Dawn's early light had already pierced the dark veils of the previous night when the ragtag band that was the Guardians of Kandrakar and the Beasts of Rakardnak made their way through the large museum that Tenshi's mother was a choreographer for. Even though it was still on its opening hours, the Saturday commute that often visited the museum had already filled most of its interior. The large group moved past old seniors that gazed at artworks that, for them, seemed almost new as younger generations stared upon the art with varying degrees of awe. Most were, of course, replicas of the actual thing but they were still breathtaking nonetheless.

"So do we know what it is that we're looking for?" asked Cornelia.

"Nope." Will said. "We just have to look at everything here and hope that either the Heart or the Fang react."

And so the group split itself in two, the girls taking the lower left side and the boys taking the right. The girls still had a promise to keep to a certain Meridian painter and were eager to keep it, even if it made them feel sad because of the power of Phobos' curse upon him and, in effect, his last creation. Meanwhile, the boys had already exited the hall of modern art, and were now going through the Asian wing, which was now filled near to the brim with loaned pieces of art. Even with his blindness, Axel could still see the sculptures and various pieces of ancient armor that lined the hallways of the wing. Bastian's eyes suddenly came across something that caused him to halt; his friends walking past him a ways before they noticed his absence.

"Bastian?" spoke Axel. "Vhat is it?"

"Tenshi, your mother works here right?" asked Bastian, ignoring Axel's question. Tenshi blinked and nodded. "Do you happen to know what this is?"

Tenshi and the others walked back and stood side-by-side next to their unofficial leader and looked up at the large tablet. It was a a copy of a large wall that resided in China and on its colored surface was nine different liung-dragons, all in various poses.

"That's the Nine Dragon Wall, de gozaru. Each dragon is carved onto a different object in China because of their characteristics."

"Nine… do you know their names?"

"Hai. The first son, Bixi," Tenshi pointed to a large, turtle-ish looking dragon, "Is carved on stone or jade tablets for his love of writing. The second son, Qiwen," the only dragon that was more animalistic than his siblings, "is carved onto the beams of bridges because of his love of water, and on rooftops because of he loved to gaze into the distance. The third son, Pulao," this dragon was quite small in comparison to the other eight, "is cast into the tops of bells and gongs because of his deafening roar whenever he was attacked by his arch-enemy the whale.

"The fourth son, Jiaotu," The orange dragon greatly resembled a tiger, "is carved on prison gates because of his passion for argument and habits of resorting to violence. That and he has been known to scare the evil out of any petty-criminal, de gozaru. The fifth son, Quiniu," a serene dragon seemingly made of clouds, "is often found on the screws and bridges of stringed instruments because of his taste for music. The sixth son, Baxia," this dragon looked to be, by far, the strongest, "is carved at the base of stone pillars and the panniers of pack animals because of his immense strength.

"The seventh son, Yazi," a sharp-clawed dragon whose spikes and claws shined brightly. "is carved on sword hilts and blades because of his love of battle. The eighth son, Suanmi," like his brother, Jiaotu, he resembled a lion more than a dragon, "is carved on the legs of incense burners on account of his calm and peaceful nature. Finally, the ninth son, Haoxian," the youngest looking even though he and his brethren were well over a few centuries old, "is carved on the eaves of temples and palaces because of his love of danger."

"As much fun as this is," said Samuel, his voice heavy with sarcasm, "we got more important things to do." With that said, the brown-haired boy turned and walked away, the other three following close behind. Bastian, however, remained where he was for but a second more before following after them, a tiny teardrop falling to the floor in his wake as a voice from deep within him whispered two simple words.

(**My sons…**)

* * *

"Okay, I'm pretty sure we've seen more art than the last time we were here," said Irma, "So how come we haven't gotten a reaction out of the Fang or Heart?"

The group had decided to break for a small brunch in the museum's café whilst also trying to figure out where the clue resided in the large museum.

"I don't know," moaned a tired Bastian. "I still don't know how to fully work this blasted thing! For all I know, we have to chant a spell of some sort like, 'Lead us to our teachers please, make our hard work put at ease'!" At that very moment, both medallions of power began to glow with soft light and float just before the chests of their respected holders before sharply turning and shooting a small pair of orbs that flew towards something back into the museum, leaving behind thin trails of energy and ten stunned teenagers.

"Vell, I guess that vould do it."

"After them!" exclaimed Will.

* * *

It did not take them long to reach the trails end nor to find the clue in which they had been seeking for what seemed liked hours. It was a painting the likes of which confused most of them for it was nothing more than utter blackness decorated with varying points of light.

"Vhat is it? Vhat's the clue?"

"I… don't know… de gozaru," murmured Tenshi as he stared critically at the picture, his eyes going through as many spectrum ranges as he could without hurting himself. "It looks like a ordinary painting to my eyes. Can you sense anything Okashira? … Okashira?"

Bastian could not respond, nor, in fact, could Will for the both of them seemed to be in another world entirely as each held out a hand, Will her right and Bastian his left, as their pendants floated before their extended arms, each glowing with their respected light. Their eyes began to glow with white light as their mouths moved to speak words that were not their own.

"Take us from a world still new

To a world ancient and wise

We, the Guardians of the Veil

We, the Beasts of the Five

Guide us o' Heart and Key

We care not the risks or the Pitt

If thy light must guide us into infinity

Then so be it."

And so, to infinity, the Guardians and Beasts went, leaving behind a world new to a world far ancient than they could ever fully comprehend. A world not of angels or demons, or of departed souls and long-lost deities. A world not of rules or of chaos, but containing little neutrality. A world where, at last, the Guardians and Beasts would finally learn of the truth behind themselves and their new enemies.

But like all things, this knowledge would come with a price.

* * *

**"Mortal son and mortal daughter, Wielders of Fire, answer me this riddle and I shall grant thy desire! **

**I am the black child of a white father; ****  
****A wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven.**  
**I give birth to tears of mourning in pupils that meet me, **  
A**nd at once on my birth I am dissolved into air. **

**What am I?" **

**

* * *

**

**"Children of Red Blood, Benders of Earth, speak to me the answer of this riddle great. And I shall give to thy wish post-haste. **

****

**Often we are covered with wisdom and wit, **  
A**nd oft with a cloth where the dinner guests sit; **  
**In beauty around you and over your head, **  
W**e are countless, though numbered when bound to be read.**

**What are we?" **

**

* * *

**

**_"Son of Adam & Daughter of Eve, reply to me this conundrum and we can have your trials begun._**

****

**_Off I must strive with wind and wave, battle them both when under the sea. _**

**_I feel out the bottom, a foreign land. In lying still, I am strong in the strife; _**

**_If I fail in that, they are stronger than I, and wrenching me loose, soon put me to rout. _**

**_They wish to capture what I must keep. I can master them both if my grip holds out. _**

**_If the rocks bring succour and lend support, strength in the struggle. _**

**_Ask me my name!" _**

* * *

"Son of Dripped Sword and Daughter of Ancient Wonders, speak only truth lest thy task be for naught, and thy enemies take plunder.

The part of the bird

That is not in the sky,

Which can swim in the ocean

And always stay dry.

What is it?"

* * *

"Warrior of Soul and Guardian of Heart,_ speak to us the answer to our last riddle._ But be warned only one has solved it, **with wisdom far in comparison to your second-fiddle.**

**It is cold and it is hot**

_It is white, and it is dark _

It is stone, and it is wax 

But its true nature is meat

**_And its colour is red. _**

**_What is it? _**

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

A/N: Had enough of the riddles and the rhymes? Well rejoice for this will be the final time! My own head aches and my muses' own have begun to quake. But before I depart to my kingdom and wife of dreams, a final pair of riddle that shall tie together the seams. The first defines the voices four and the second the one yet nevermore!

* * *

My first is in tea but not in leaf

My second is in teapot and also in teeth

My third is in caddy but not in cosy

My fourth is in cup but not in rosy

My fifth is in herbal and also in health

My sixth is in peppermint and always in wealth

My last is in drink, so what can I be?

I'm there in a classroom, do you listen to me?

* * *

My first is in adventure but isn't in trip,

My second is in river but isn't in ship,

My third is in chalice but isn't in cup,

My fourth is in ascending but isn't in up,

My fifth is in error but isn't in flaw,

My last is in talon but isn't in claw,

My whole is a beast who will eat you for dinner,

Unless in this riddle game you are the winner.


	19. Know Thyself

Bahamut: Has he come out of it yet?

Camille: Sigh... No, he has not...

Mewtwo: You think him finding out your pregnant wouldn't cause him to loose consciousness for so long...

Poupoko: Chao...

Me: Ya, you're telling me.

BLINK. BLINK.

Camille: Corvus? Sweetheart, are you okay?

Me: One quick question. You did say that, in around nine months, I'm going to be the dad of a little boy or girl?

Camille: Yes.

Me: ... (_View changes to all of Slumberland._) WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I'm gonna be a dad!

Mewtwo: Think he's happy?

Bahamut: Oh yeah.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. ****

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter Two: Freedom's Chaos

Part Four: Know Thyself

"WELCOME, GUARDIANS & BEASTS OF KANDRAKAR!" The voices boomed across the broad field of grass, sending fierce winds blowing across their stunned forms. They did not know how they had arrived there nor where there was but they were glad to be there nonetheless. They remembered the voices, each different, speaking to them, asking of them a spoken conundrum and they had done their best to answer.

Was it Luck that had been on their side? Giving them the answers they needed? Or was it Fate with its webs of Destiny tying them together for this powerful task that they must accomplish? It mattered not what powers aided them in their path for it was the four powers before them that would teach them; strengthen them for the upcoming war as it steadily drew near.

They stood in a tight circle, looking around them for the ones who had spoken in welcome but they saw nothing but an endless field of grass for miles around. Even Tenshi could see nothing in the far horizon but endless jade. Suddenly, the ground began to rumble and shake, making the group loose their footing as trees began to burst forth from the ground like living spires, aging decades in seconds until nothing but a monstrous forest of old surrounded them.

But even that did not last long.

In the west, the leaves began to discolor from green to myriads of oranges and reds, many falling slowly from their perches amidst the branches like amber snowflakes. Standing out in this small fall of colors was a large shape that stood regal and proud, a faint growl coming forth from a fanged maw. Black stripes against a pure white hide with fangs and claws no different in sharpness.

In the north, the leaves had already fallen and died away into the nonexistent wind as ground was blanketed with bone-water as gentle flakes fell from the cloudless sky. Standing out in the grounds of white and crystal was a hulking shape that stood patiently and peacefully, a soft rumble echoing from a withered mouth as old as time. Obsidian shell and ashen skin no weaker than diamonds.

In the south, life had already started its processes as flowers and leaves glowed with unbounded strength, its fields and living towers a vast rainbow in comparison to the previous two. Sitting amongst the emerald branches was a lean shape that stood in confidence and spite, a quiet caw calling forth from a beak hardened by time and war. Vermillion feathers and regal crest that gave voice to wisdom.

In the east, life was just beginning as buds of flowers and young leaves began to sprout amidst the melting snow. Enwrapped around the mightiest tree was a sinuous form that rested in calm and eager respite. Azure scales and indigo talons stood out as a jewel amongst bedrock.

Separate, one would thing they were ordinary if a bit fantastic, but together, the four were much more than that. They had been called many things over the vast centuries of time; the Gods of War, the Saint Beasts, the Four Guardians of the Sky, the Celestial Kings, but for the Guardians and Beasts of the Veil, they would be known by their first name.

The Ssu Ling.

The Four Symbols.

Though they had originated in the lands of Asia and were not easily recognizable to the Europeans of the group, they recognized them of their importance nonetheless. Especially when two of their number immediately went down on their knees, each performing a respectable bow from their ancient homelands as their fellows slowly did the same. The first of the Symbols slowly slinked forward, his large paws making the barest sound.

"So these are the pupils you spoke of Seiryu? They don't seem like much."

"Judge not on appearances, Byakko. What would you believe were you in their positions now? Please, let us make them a bit more comfortable." There was a change in the air, a brief change that sparked across the entirety and then, the four creatures and their realms were gone, replaced by a large room reminiscent to a dining hall of a wealthy Asian lord. Though they stood out amongst the splendor of the room, the four easily made themselves comfortable and stared down at the group.

"Enough with the formalities already," growled the vermillion one, his blue eyes narrowed into thin slits. "We've got more important things than your etiquette to cover."

"Suzaku," chastised the azure one gently. "We haven't been on Earth in several centuries; it's not surprising that they are being so, what's the term?"

"Shell-shocked!" exclaimed the black one eagerly, earning a groan from the white one.

"Oh stars, don't get him started, Seiryu, _please_."

"Uh… excuse me…" The Four looked towards Bastian and the other humans who had, by now, taken their respected seats along the large table and were watching the Four with a mixture of awe and confusion. "Pardon me for asking but… who are you guys?"

"We have had many names over the eons, but you may call us the Ssu Ling," answered the azure one.

"Auch, we could have used the War Gods or maybe even the Saint Beasts but nay! We had to go with the Four Symbols, give me a break lad." The black one muttered to himself. The azure one ignored him and bowed his head down enough so that he was eye-level with the humans before him.

"I am Seiryu the Azure Dragon of the East," spoke the large oriental dragon. He then turned to the vermillion one beside him and poked him with his tail. "Come on now, don't be a hatchling about this."

Grumbling to himself, the vermillion one turned his eyes to the group and said, "I am Suzaku the Vermillion Bird of the South." Spreading a large wing, he began to preen himself, ignoring the stares his phoenix-like colorings and body produced from the humans. He was as close to a phoenix as a dog was to a cat though he might as well have been one with his abilities.

The white one decided to speak next. Yawning loudly, displaying his fang-filled maw, he slowly spoke in his earthen rumble. "I am Byakko the White Tiger of the West." He then began to idly check his claws which, to the Guardians and Beasts, resembled large kitchen knives in size and apparent sharpness.

The black one placed his claws on the table and leaned his long neck forward, "And I am Genbu the Black Tortoise of the North. Also known as the cute one." A cheeky grin appeared across the tortoise's wrinkly face. Byakko groaned and placed a large paw across his eyes.

"That would explain why Queen Alyss kept shooting you dirty looks." Genbu merely shrugged and sat back on his cushion.

In all fairness, the four did not look the least bit extraordinary, even the two that were mythical in origin. They looked as plain as one could get, but the Guardians and Beasts were not to be fooled by appearances, not when they themselves looked to be nothing more than humans.

"So then… you're the teachers the Oracle was talking about…?" asked Will.

" Indeed, lass." Byakko yawned once again and idly checked his claws. "Though I doubt we can teach you anything."

"Hey!" exclaimed Bastian, standing up and placing his hands against the table. "I don't care if you guys are our teachers; that is no way to treat a lady!"

"Relax, kid." Genbu slid his long neck forward. "We're here only to teach you how to control your borrowed forms. There's not much we can teach your girlfriends."

"However," said Seiryu, "we can help them control their elemental powers and perhaps teach them to fly."

"We can do that?" asked Hay Lin who received several odd looks from the others. "What?"

"If it works for bees, it can work for you," grumbled Suzaku, who had finished preening his broad wings. "Though I don't place much hope on it."

Seeing the sharp glares many of the others were giving their sensei, Tenshi tautly spoke, "Um… could you perhaps tell us who our alternate forms belonged to?"

"All in due time, lad." Byakko slowly stood and suddenly they were in a large clearing surrounded by thick trees. "First we must see the lassies' forms 'efore we do yers."

Exchanging wondering looks between them, the girls shrugged and, with two simplistic yet powerful words, transformed into their Guardian forms. Seiryu nodded and flew around them in slow circles, his ocean-green eyes taking in everything about their altered forms, much to the boys' chagrin.

"Yes… I sense the blessing of my nephews in you," murmured the Azure Dragon. Suzaku was glaring at their fairy-like wings with something akin to disgust.

"Ugh, _pixie wings_? Why did the Heart have to make _pixie wings_ of all things?" he grumbled in disgust.

"Hey, I think they look cute," said Genbu, who received four glares and a faint hiss from the girls' Beasts.

"You think all females are cute," drawled Byakko, having had his fill of looking over the Guardians. "It shouldn't be too difficult to teach ye to use yer powers to the fullest, but now…" He turned to look upon the five boys. "Let us see what our pupils are made of."

Bastian frowned before he too uttered the two words that tore away their humanity and replaced it with their beastial forms. The Ssu Ling openly stared at them before looking at each other.

"Jade… what have you done…?" whispered Seiryu, his eyes downcast and filled with disappointment.

"This isn't good…" murmured Genbu.

"Of course it isn't!" screeched Suzaku. "Two of them are godlings for stars' sake!"

"And their leader… do ye not notice the resemblance?" asked Byakko. The other three nodded and glanced back at the confused Guardians and Beasts.

(**_Pardon me,_**) said Axel. (**_But vhat the heck are you talking about?_**)

Byakko sighed and placed a paw across his eyes. "Auch, children today… Do ye not have a clue at all, lads?" Nothing but blank stares was their answer. "I guess not…"

"Whatever anyone has told you, be it yourselves or the Oracle, it was an outright lie. The Jade Emperor did follow a similar path as his lover but he did not follow it exactly. He was not a god in the sense that he could create creatures powerful enough to fit the Guardians' needs," explained Seiryu. "He could not create a single creature that could withstand the centuries let alone five of them, so he did the only thing he could do.

"He enslaved five powerful creatures to what you call the Fang of Rakardnak."

The Guardians and Beasts stared in shock at the Ssu Ling. "… If that's the case… then who were the creatures…?" asked Will.

"Yeah," said Irma. "Tenshi mentioned what his called itself and the others' forms but aside from that…"

"Allow me to explain," said Seiryu, who moved to stand before Tenshi. "You Tenshi, are in the body of the Simurgh, the only one of his kind but there's more to it than that. Your form, that which you have called the Watcher is named Keneun, is the leader of a large tribe of Thunderbirds."

(**_Thunderbirds?_**) asked Tenshi, cocking his head slightly to look up at Seiryu who had, somehow, grown to easily tower over him without his or the others' noticing.

"A bird of Native American belief," said Suzaku who was just a bit taller than Tenshi was. "Their wings were capable of creating storms with just a simple beat and it was Keneun who fought alongside Pulao in the battle against the Whale."

"Who is this Whale anyway?" asked Taranee. "I never heard of him."

"Oh but you have." Genbu's grin was strangely like Eduardo's own. "Ever hear the story of Captain Ahab?"

"The man who pursued Moby-Dick?" said Will. "Yes but what does… Oh…"

(**_You're kidding, de gozaru!_**) Tenshi's eyes were wide. (**_The Whale was Moby Dick? I mean THE Moby-Dick?_**)

" Indeed," drawled Byakko.

(**_… Wow…_**)

Seiryu smiled and moved on towards Samuel. "You are a behemoth but not _the_ Behemoth for he still lies buried above Hell. You are not connected to him by his blood, only in likeness, and, unlike Keneun, he was not a creature of benevolence but a monster of disaster. The few that survived his attacks called him, Tarasque."

( **_Taras_****_que…? That sounds—_**)

" Australian?" asked Genbu. "It is. Tarasque frequently attacked Australia so he adopted the name the natives gave him. Ironically though, it was a ancestor of your Guardian that 'tamed' him before the Jade Emperor did what he had."

Seiryu nodded and moved to stand between Eduardo and Axel. "You two… it will be… difficult to fully explain you two without someone making a joke or two." Seiryu glanced at Genbu who suddenly looked like butter would not melt in his mouth. Sighing, Seiryu turned back to the two and said it pointblank.

"You're forms are brothers."

(**_Say W'AT?_**) exclaimed Eduardo as Axel said the same albeit in German.

"You, Eduardo, inhabit the form of Fenrir while you, Axel, have the form of Jörmungandr." Seiryu explained calmly.

"I've heard of them!" exclaimed Taranee. "Aren't they the sons of Loki?"

"Yes."

(**_I almost afraid to ask, but who's Loki_**?) asked Axel.

"It's better that you don't know lest you get yourselves involved with him," said Seiryu.

"The last thing any o' us need is that daft immortal finding out what happened to his sons." Byakko muttered.

(**_Pardon me, but who or what is _****_Jörmungandr_**) asked Axel.

"Jörmungandr is, or rather was, the World Serpent, a monstrous leviathan whose coils embraced the earth several times over and whose mortal enemy is Thor, the Norse god of Thunder. Jörmungandr's sheer mass and strength have mocked Thor several times over the eons and it was prophesied that when Ragnarok arrived, Jörmungandr would rise from the seas and poison the skies before entering a mortal battle with Thor. Jörmungandr would die but not without taking Thor with him into the depths of the underworld." Seiryu stared into the eyes of Axel who suddenly seemed little more than a garden snake in size compared to the Azure Dragon.

(**_Uh… I feel no need to do such a thing…_**) murmured Axel.

"Just be glad that the future is, for now, in far greater peril." Suzaku grumbled. "Though the last thing we need is for Thor to get in another brawl with you."

Sieryu sighed before looking down upon Eduardo. "As you already know, you are in the body of Fenrir, Loki's firstborn son. Fenrir was a monstrous wolf who, unlike his two siblings, was raised amongst the Norse gods. However, they were afraid of Fenrir for his power and size continued to increase day-by-day until only one of them dared to even go near him. Finally, urged on by the prophecies of their destruction by Fenrir's fangs, Odin ordered the dwarven smiths to create Gleipnir, the unbreakable ribbon that served as the chains of Fenrir's imprisonment."

(**_W'at made it unbreakable?_**) asked Eduardo.

"It's made of ingredients that are no longer found on Earth. The sound of a cat's footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, bear's sinews, fish's breath, and bird's spittle. The gods tricked Fenrir into the chains by making it seem like it was a test of strength, but Fenrir could sense the trick and would only allow Gleipnir to be placed upon him unless one of the gods placed a hand in his mouth. Only one god stepped forward and when Fenrir realized that he had been imprisoned much like his brother, he bit the hand the hand that fed him.

"And like Jörmungandr, Fenrir was also prophesized to wreak havoc during Ragnarok. He would finally break free from his chains and devour Odin whole, inciting the wraith of Odin's son who would break Fenrir's jaws asunder before piercing his heart." Eduardo gulped and placed a paw across his long muzzle.

Seiryu nodded sadly and spoke, "I'm sorry that your forms have such dark histories, but do not blame them. The gods that were foolish enough to fall into prophecy's embrace were the ones that ultimately created their enemies."

(**_What about me?_**) asked Bastian, earning four stares from the Ssu Ling. (**_You never mentioned where my body came from._**)

The Ssu Ling looked at each other uneasily for a moment before Genbu spoke, "You will have to ask your own teacher that question, kiddo. For now, we must hurry. The Generals are drawing closer to their plan."

Before any of the Guardians or Beast could speak, they were transported away, leaving the Ssu Ling behind.

"He will have to know sometime, Seiryu," said Byakko, the bored tone in his voice suddenly absent.

"Hai… I know…" Seiryu whispered. "I just hope that otousan has enough of himself inside the boy to teach him everything they need to know."

"I still think we should tell them outright about everything," huffed Suzaku. "Even she wished to help and she never wants to help."

"She may want to help but that doesn't mean that whatever her version of it is will be helpful to us or the rest of the multiverse." said Genbu, his joking lit gone much like Byakko's bored one.

"We best get started then," said Byakko, who slowly stood up and flexed his legs and tail. "We have only an eternity to teach them everyting they need ta know."

"True," said Seiryu as he coiled himself upwards into the air. "Best we start with the basics before we move on to their respected elements."

"Fine, fine." Suzaku flapped his wings and flew up alongside Seiryu's head. "But I will not cut the boy or their women any slack."

Genbu frowned up at the Vermillion Bird. "You won't be intimidating them too much will you?"

"Only enough." Suzaku stated. "For the war."

* * *

And they were taught as much as they could be taught and intimidated far more than they thought possible. The Ssu Ling, while not revealing their full power, revealed enough of it to prove that the Beasts and Guardians had a lot to learn. Byakko had proven to them that judging an enemy on appearance alone was like signing a death warrant as he easily outraced Eduardo and Tenshi around the training grounds. Genbu proved that an enemy of any type or age could prove dangerous in battle as he easily overtook Axel in water form no less. Suzaku proved that teachers could be evil in any type of existence as he drove the flying Beasts as well as the Guardians to near exhaustion while Seiryu mainly watched over their teachings.

The Guardians and Beasts felt as though they had spent several days in the realm of the Ssu Ling yet they never got tired for long, nor did they feel any form of hunger or thirst. Time never seemed to flow as the sunny sky remained constant over them. The only evidence that time had actually passed in any form at all was the slight changes in their training regimes. However, it wasn't until the beginning of their elemental training that the Ssu Ling fully revealed their power to them.

Byakko was no longer an ordinary tiger with gleaming white fur; he was a monstrous feline whose prominent feature was the saber-like fangs that adorned his upper mouth. The fur along his back stuck up like a porcupine's quills and the claws on his paws were like daggers. He easily towered over Samuel and Cornelia as he spoke to them the wisdom of Earth and of Darkness.

"No man is invincible, and therefore no man can fully understand that which would make him invincible. Even with complete and thorough study there is always the possibility of being defeated and although one may be expert in a particular form, mastery is something a man never stops seeking to attain. It is doubtful that anyone truly understands the _real_ way of strategy, much less truly live it. Yet military leaders must have some understanding of strategy and they must pass it on to their warriors, regardless of the limitations of their own understanding."

Genbu was still a tortoise but he was a monstrous tortoise with a shell of pure obsidian steel, whose neck stretched up like an immense snake. His leathery hide was almost pure black and shone like ice and was, undoubtedly, many times stronger. While he did not match Axel in length, he matched him in sheer mass as he loomed over Irma and her Beast. He was Water and of Ice.

"When I say that language is limited in certain respects it should be understood that while information may be evident, knowledge is not necessarily obvious. There are _hidden_ meanings that must be thought through constantly until you reach an understanding."

Suzaku was more like a phoenix than ever before, though he was far larger in size compared to one. His vermillion feathers glowed with fire with a beak seemingly made of diamonds shining in his aura of power, making Taranee and Eduardo's own seem like a match compared to a raging volcano. He was the embodiment of Fire and Light and his words would not be ignored.

"Although technique is extremely important and must never be overlooked, there is a tendency among most would-be warriors to concentrate only on the development of their craft through the skills developed with certain moves. Would-be warriors who use only the raiment of their profession and brag through their motions do not understand strategy. They overlook the all-important aspect of the spirit, thinking that it will come to them without additional work. To release the spirit one must accentuate the work with meditations of the heart and the soul. Not doing so is the same as performing music note for note, with no emphasis on the _feeling_ of the particular piece being performed. The Way of the Warrior is filled with soul and feeling. Without it the warrior is essentially _dead_."

Seiryu was still like a dragon but his size could only be compared to Jörmungandr's own for, like the serpent who embraced the earth, Seiryu's gigantic form embraced the sky and seemed to possess no end in sight. Clouds rumbled around him as lightning arced across his azure scales but he gave it no mind nor did Hay Lin and Tenshi. They trusted him for he was Air and Lightning.

"It is important to understand the reasons and philosophies of other systems in order to truly benefit from my own. I do not hesitate to point these things out to you. Without comparison you have no reference point with which to judge for yourself and decide how to properly develop your own self. You should study the ways of others to reinforce your own understanding of yourself."

But what of Bastian and Will? Who spoke to them words of wisdom, who taught them to reach deeper into their respected powers and to borrow from the other? It was not any of the Ssu Ling for they knew next to nothing on the powers that composed the two leaders. Instead, they instructed the two to meditate with one hand grasping their medallions while holding the hand of the other. Feeling puzzled by this, the two did what their teachers instructed and lost sight of everything but each other in a void of complete blackness.

Suddenly, their teacher was there.

He was a seemingly ancient man whose beard stretched down to his feet while his head remained hairless. He wore a simple cloak of gold and his emerald eyes sparkled beneath his narrowed lids. Before Will or Bastian could speak, their teacher moved to stand just a foot in front of them.

"Welcome Daughter of Eve. Welcome Son of Adam." He spoke in a voice like silk. "Please, do not speak. There is much to explain and little time for me to tell you.

"I cannot tell you everything about this enemy, but I can give you these." A pair of scrolls appeared in his hands. He handed one to Bastian and the other to Will before continuing. "They will provide you with everything that I know. Now however, there is one matter I must make clear. That which you have come to call the Fang of Rakardnak is not what you believe it to be. It is not called the Fang of Rakardnak; it is the Soul of Kandrakar. If the Enemy were to find out, they would do everything in their power to destroy you, so keep its name a secret between the two of you." The man grimaced and clutched at his heart for a second. "I don't have much time left. Listen to my words, children and give them great heed.

"The spirit of the multiverse is an emptiness which is nothing. Man can have no understanding of this place. It exists and is, but yet it is not. If you know something, you know something. If you do not know something, it does not exist in your world. In the multiverse, nothing-ness is not a thing that is true and not a thing that is not true. When men of the world look at things with the wrong perception and do not understand what they see, they say it is the place of nothing-ness. This is incorrect thinking. The idea that men who study strategy and do not understand nothing-ness do not, therefore, understand their craft is not correct either. Everything is revealed to all men as they desire it to be revealed to them, by their own definitions alone."

The man smiled sadly and looked into Bastian's eyes, a paired mirror of his own. "I could not speak to you before when we first 'met' Bastian so I could not tell you that has been and forever will be an honor die for thee and thy soul-mate." In an eye blink's time, the old man was gone, replaced with a large dragon.

_Bastia__n's_ Dragon.

With a roar of gongs, the Dragon flew forward and entered into Bastian, breaking his and Will's concentration enough for them to exit out of their meditation.

"So… how'd it go?" asked Genbu, who now resembled an ordinary tortoise albeit black.

"He was… he was me… I mean, he was my Beast." Bastian stuttered, his eyes wide with shock.

"Aye lad, but more than that, he was our leader." Byakko drawled.

"Huanglong, the Gold Dragon of the Center… and Father of Dragon kin." Suzaku stated with his gruff tone.

"Then… that would mean he's…" murmured Bastian, who looked at Seiryu who merely smiled sadly.

"My father? Yes, he was." Stiffening, Seiryu's face quickly became a stone mask as he stared down at the Beasts and Guardians. "Now you must return to your realm. Time has moved since you have departed but not enough for anyone to gain notice of your absence. I'm sorry to say that this will be the final time we'll ever see one another outside the final battle; all I can say is that I wish you luck in your endeavor and may the stars guide you."

And then, they were gone from the realm of the stars, of the Ssu Ling. They were back in their realm of the mundane of the normal, gone for only a moment's time. They had been taught many things from the Ssu Ling and would use that knowledge for the upcoming war as best as they could; they had to.

Lest everything return to back to Korauk.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

A/N Part One: First of all, I would like to quickly say that yes, I am going to be a father. (Does the Happy Dance) But I will still continue to update my stories as I see fit.

A/N Part Two: The ending statements by the Ssu Ling and Huanglong (The really long ones). Are taken from the Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. All credit goes towards him and his honorable strategies that earned him the title of greatest of all samurai.

A/N Part Three: Don't think that I forgot about the multiple riddles that I plauged you with last chapter. Here are the answers to all the riddles as well as a slight spoiler to the next chapter's contents.

* * *

**I am the black child of a white father; ****  
****A wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven.**  
**I give birth to tears of mourning in pupils that meet me, **  
A**nd at once on my birth I am dissolved into air. **

**What am I?**

**ANSWER: SMOKE**

**

* * *

**

**Often we are covered with wisdom and wit, **  
A**nd oft with a cloth where the dinner guests sit; **  
**In beauty around you and over your head, **  
W**e are countless, though numbered when bound to be read.**

**What are we?**

**ANSWER: LEAVES**

**

* * *

**

**_Off I must strive with wind and wave, battle them both when under the sea. _**

**_I feel out the bottom, a foreign land. In lying still, I am strong in the strife; _**

**_If I fail in that, they are stronger than I, and wrenching me loose, soon put me to rout. _**

**_They wish to capture what I must keep. I can master them both if my grip holds out. _**

**_If the rocks bring succour and lend support, strength in the struggle. _**

**_Ask me my name!_**

**_ANSWER: ANCHOR_**

* * *

The part of the bird

That is not in the sky,

Which can swim in the ocean

And always stay dry.

What is it?

ANSWER: IT'S SHADOW

* * *

**It is cold and it is hot**

_It is white, and it is dark _

It is stone, and it is wax 

But its true nature is meat

**_And its colour is red. _**

**_What is it? _**

**_AN_S**W**_ER_: **THE HEART

* * *

My first is in tea but not in leaf

My second is in teapot and also in teeth

My third is in caddy but not in cosy

My fourth is in cup but not in rosy

My fifth is in herbal and also in health

My sixth is in peppermint and always in wealth

My last is in drink, so what can I be?

I'm there in a classroom, do you listen to me?

ANSWER: TEACHER

* * *

My first is in adventure but isn't in trip,

My second is in river but isn't in ship,

My third is in chalice but isn't in cup,

My fourth is in ascending but isn't in up,

My fifth is in error but isn't in flaw,

My last is in talon but isn't in claw,

My whole is a beast who will eat you for dinner,

Unless in this riddle game you are the winner.

ANSWER: DRAGON

* * *

Next Chapter: Know Thy Enemy 

The Beasts and Guardians finally learn the full number of Generals as well as the servants they have previously fought and we shall finally see the full form of a General in the mundane world of W.I.T.C.H. and B.E.A.S.T.


	20. Know Thy Enemy

Me: Hiya peoples! This chapter will be the first to detail a General while also giving key information about those who have come before! However, the rest shall appear only as the story progresses and/or if the servant/General is a key player in the chapter. Since the previous servants aren't going to be a key anything, you can find their info at the end of the chapter.

Bahamut: Why didn't you make this a A/N?

Me: Because I knew you would interupt and I have something else to say...

Mewtwo: And that is...?

Me: There will be a 'sixth' member to both W.I.T.C.H. AND B.E.A.S.T.!

Muses: WHAT?

Me: And they're not who, or rather what, you expect them to be! Until then, TTFN! Ta-Ta For Now!

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. ****

* * *

**

**B.E.A.S.T.**

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Chapter Two: Freedom's Chaos

Part Five: Know Thy Enemy

The group had decided to rendevous back at the Silver Dragon which had long since become their base of operations, of sorts. Kadma had long since departed, leaving only Yan Lin to ask them how their search and, inseqeuncially, their training went. After everything had been explained and said, the group moved on to a the restaurant's basement that only Yan Lin and her granddaughter had the key to. Using several large crates as chairs and a particularly strange one as a table, the girls and guys sat down in their mock-round table.

"So we've gotten stronger," said Irma. "But what now? Do we go looking for the bad guys or what?"

"Meine leibe," said Axel. "Ve don't even know vhere the enemy is."

"Or w'at for dat matta." Eduardo added. Will and Bastian exchanged looks before placing the scrolls of Huanglong atop the mock-table.

"Before he vanished into Bastian," explained Will. "Huanglong gave us these scrolls. He said that they would tell us everything he knew about our enemy, so here's hoping." Will crossed her fingers as she unraveled her scroll to reveal… nothing. Bastian quickly unraveled his own to reveal the same nothingness.

"What?" growled Samuel, his eyes narrowed. "They're blank!"

Bastian's eyes narrowed and he placed a finger atop the parchment. "No… there's something there… Maybe it has some sort of lock on it?"

"What, like the Maruader's Map?" Instead of Hay Lin, the strange looks were directed at Tenshi. " Nani?"

"I think our lives are a wee bit different than Harry Potter's thank you very much," said Cornelia.

"Well, could it hurt to try?" asked Taranee.

They exchanged glances with one another before Eduardo suddenly exclaimed, "OPEN SESAME!"

Nothing.

"Drat," muttered the Jamaican boy, "I thought dat woulda worked…"

"Please tell me he's kidding," said Samuel. Bastian sighed and wrapped his hand around the Soul of Kandrakar and concentrated for a moment before opening his eyes.

"Eleka nahmen nahmen. Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen. Eleka nahmen nahmen. Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen." And words, strange foreign words, began to write themselves along the scrolls. Everyone looked from the scrolls to Bastian, their eyes wide, or in Axel's case ears perked.

"Where the heck did you come up with _that_?" asked Irma.

Bastian smiled to himself before answering. "A lucky guess." Axel's eyes narrowed behind his shades. He knew what those words meant and for Bastian to suddenly pick them out of thin air… He'd have to confront the slightly shorter boy about it another time.

"So vhat do they say?" Bastian picked up his scroll and looked over it.

"Strange… I can understand the writing thanks to the Fang but the way it's ordered…"

"Naze? What's it look like?" asked Tenshi.

"It looks like a list. Here, let me read it aloud;

_The Generals XIII _

_I – The Treacherous _

_II – The Copy _

**_III – The Trick _**

**_IV – The Hunt _**

_V – The Blood _

**_VI – The Dead _**

_VII – The Disease _

_VIII – The Poison _

_IX – The Pain _

_X – The Destruction _

_XI – The Sin _

_XII – The Beast _

_XIII – The Nightmare _

… Okay." Bastian shivered and set the scroll down. "I'm official creeped out."

Will glanced down at the scroll and quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "Why are some of them more… pronounced than the others?"

Bastian shrugged and tapped a finger at the sixth general. "Maybe it's cause we met these guys or something? Didn't you mention that you had a map that only showed portals to Meridian as they appeared?"

"Yeah," muttered Will. "The thing was a pain in the butt about that." Bastian tapped the sixth once more and was surprised to see the writings flow together and changed not only into modern English but to have completely different information than before. Suddenly, much to everyone's shock, a holographic image appeared of a shadowed form that was vaguely humanoid as a female voice began to read everything that the scroll contained on the VI General.

"The VI General – Mobena the Dead.

"Mobena serves as the Generals' main source of recruitment for her ability to awaken the dead. This ability is not limited to the state of the corpse in question; she can revive anything dead to its original state in a matter of seconds. Because of this, she is one of the hardest to fight in large groups since every fallen ally will awaken as an enemy. Mobena has shown a massive love for genocide and has often been seen, if partially, on the battlefields of deadly and often gore-iffic wars. One most deadly fact of Mobena is that she is the creator of any necro-type weapons as well as their effects and eagerly supplies them to whomever amuses her most at the time."

With information spoken, the hologram and writings disappeared, leaving a seemingly ordinary piece of parchment resting on the mock-table. Silence reigned for some time as the large group of teenagers sat and stared down at the brown wood of the crate that served as their table.

"Vell…" whispered Axel, "That explains some things…"

"Yeah," whispered Will, whose eyes fell onto her scroll, which still held its writings or rather what little of it there was. Like Bastian's scroll, the writings were arranged in a list but most of names besides the numbers were blank. However, there was one that immediately caught Will's eye and set her to follow Bastian's earlier motions. Like the previous scroll, the writings immediately whirled about and changed into modern English as a holographic image appeared above the parchment, but unlike the image of Mobena, this hologram was clear and detailed as fine crystal.

It was an insect but not the likes of which many of the boys had ever seen. Its body was shaped like a spider's, including its head, but it had the wings of a wasp and a tail similar to a scorpions except that it curved downwards instead of up. Its four pairs of eyes were blood red and all of its body was black as a moonless save for a small portion of its head where a human face resided, grinning in a foreign form of madness. The girls and Bastian easily recognized this creature for it was the first of the new breed of the evil that was now their enemy.

"Servant of the I General," murmured the voice, this one male, "Shadow-Spiders.

"Shadow-Spiders, contrary to their name, are mostly similar to wasps and scorpions but with attitudes similar to spiders. Shadow-Spiders are always on the search for a human host to use and consume, and they prefer hosts with seedy souls, especially those of the dark variety. Shadow-Spiders are immensely weakened by light but can overcome it if they have eaten enough hosts and are in possession of a particularly strong one. The Shadow-Spiders were amongst the first wave of the Forgotten War and haunt even the most surliest of veterans' nightmares because of their voracious appetite whenever they are outside of Korauk."

The four late Beasts exchanged bewildered looks with one another before staring at Bastian whose eyes were more focused on the image before them. Bastian and the girls had told them of his first fight as the Dragon but they never went into deep depth with the creature that he fought against.

"You fought one of those creatures, okashira?" asked Tenshi.

"And won?" Cornelia smacked Samuel in the arm. "Ow! What?"

"Barely," murmured Bastian, "If I hadn't sped up time enough for the sun to weaken the thing, Rachiah would have…" Bastian's eyes suddenly widened. Even though he had put his all into his final attack, which he aptly called Eternal Light, he would, most likely, have not destroyed the creature enough to save Uriah, not that he actually cared about the git but still… Then there was Will, if he had not won, Rachiah would have continued to his hunt. "Will… I…"

"It's over and done with, Bastian," said Will, placing a hand atop his arm, her brown eyes soft and staring up into his own. "You were my knight then, and you are my knight now."

Samuel snorted and smirked at his friend. "Knight? Kinda funny to call a dragon that, ain't it?"

Bastian blinked before leaning back and laughing quite uproariously. His laughter broke the tenseness of the situation and had several of the others laughing and smiling as well. Once the group had gathered their breath about them, they leaned forward to look upon Will's scroll.

"Vell, let us see about the rest then." Axel whispered.

* * *

Korauk is a world that has, for its entire existence, never meant to exist. If one were to consider the multiverse as a tree and each individual universe a separate branch, than Korauk could best be described as a monstrous weed trying its absolute best to suck away the nutrients needed to support the tree while struggling to remain alive on its own resources. In its entire realm there is but one planet, much like Kandrakar, and like Kandrakar there is one sole structure that remains constant throughout its everchanging landscape. A large gray castle with spires shaped like twisted spears and numerous spikes outlining the outerwalls.

Were the sky similar to Earth's, one would never find it anything but terrifying no matter what time of day it was. Unfortunately, the skies of Korauk, much like the lands around the castle, were in a constant state of change; shifting colors, weather, and climate at such a rapid pace that not even the fastest of computers could keep track for more than five minutes.

Inside the castle were large hallways and even larger rooms that housed many _unique_ items. Unique being the simplest word to describe the vast multitudes of devices that composed many of the Generals' rooms and their… training grounds. It is in the hallways that leads to one of those the training grounds that are focus placed for it is there where two souls doing their very best to escape not only from the castle, but Korauk itself.

Many would call this act an act of courage but those few that are familiar with Korauk and its sole residents would describe with two words.

Stupid and Insane.

Even if the duo were to make it outside the castle, the lands surrounding it were used as breeding and nesting grounds for the servants of the Generals and only the most powerful of them were allowed to reside near its ebony towers. However, something akin to Fate or Destiny must have something good planned for the duo for one of them had managed to do something many had thought impossible.

He stole a talisman from the XIII General himself.

The importance of this talisman and its sisters was beyond anything save for the XIII's agenda and any of the other Generals' own. It has already been proven that the General can enter the other worlds with a great percentage of their power but very little of their form and full potential. These talisman's, specially created by their own long-lost King, not only allowed them to enter any world of their choice fully and complete with their powers, it allowed _all_ of their servants to enter it just as easily with but a single thought. It was extremely fortunate for the escapees that the talismans were never made to only work for the Generals.

The duo ran down hallway after hallway with only the changes in the walls as the only sign that any progress was being made. As the two rounded a corner however, whatever small margin of hope that they had gained was vnaguished in an instant for a servant of the VII General was standing before them in its slime-covered glory. Standing at twenty feet high at the shoulder, the creature would, at first, resemble a form of rodent, preferably a rat, but it wasn't like any rodent to walk the multiverse. Besides its large size, the rat like monster was covered not in fur but thick multitudes of neon red slime that oozed slowly down its porous skin which pulsed and twitched as the creature's beady eyes looked down upon the duo, the tallest of which uttered a single word which gave name to the creature.

"S-Slimoori…" The Slimoori snarled and started to move forward even as the duo began to back away in fear when the talisman suddenly began to glow with ethereal light. Realizing what this meant, the two escapees grabbed a firm hold of one another and disappeared from Korauk even as the Slimoori pounced and effectively slammed itself into the wall. Struggling to keep its wits, the slime-covered creature shakily stood even as its mistress stepped up beside it.

To say that she was uglier than her servant would be an understatement. True, she was humanoid but only to a point. Her upper body was like that of a human woman's own but that was where the similarities between herself and humans ended. Her entirety was covered in thick, greenish slime that oozed across her skin at a sickening pace. Her head was shaped like a rat's, especially her nose, and her hair was actually thick tentacles of dark green. Her lower body was remenicent to a octopus and was the same shade of green as her hair. She wore no clothes since she had no need for modesty considering that she was what one could call the embodiment of pestilence.

She was the VII General, Bactial the Disease and she was in very deep trouble.

(_Excuse me,_) a voice as thin as paper and sharper than diamonds whispered into her mind. (_But did you say that you LOST A TALISMAN?_)

A flinch of pain at the telepathic scream. "Yes…"

(_I see._) Intense pain, needles bursting through skin, hot pokers burning away internal organs. (_Is there a reason as to why I shouldn't kill you now then?_)

"I-I can get it back!" A screech of pain. "Before the Guardians find it!"

The pain ceases. (_Hmmm… Perhaps…_) It returns, ten times over. (_Not. You already failed me once, Bactial. Who's to say you won't do so again?_)

"Please! Master!" A sharp squeal ripping its way through the air. "Forgive me!"

(_Forgiveness is for those with souls and hearts, Bactial. You need to give me something far better than your word._)

"Whatever you desire, Master! Please! Stop!"

The pain disappears, not entirely but enough for her to breathe. (_I knew you would see things my way, my dear…_) A dark chuckle echoing pale walls. (_Go to Earth and don't think of coming back without that talisman!_) A flash of ethereal light and the VII General was gone.

"Such poor sportsmanship. Do you really trust such a hunt to her, Master Rerota?"

(_No. Which is why you're going to send one of your Hunaxters to… assist her._)

"As you command, Master Rerota."

* * *

Bastian sighed to himself as he leaned against the wall of the Silver Dragon Restaurant. He and the others had gone over the list of servants and the other two Generals that they had the unfortunate luck of encountering and it did not look good. The 'occupation' of the Generals disturbed him greatly, especially the twelth. '_The XII General, The Beast…_' thought Bastian. The scroll would not reveal anything about this General, which quite irked the emerald-eyed boy. He wanted, no he needed to know just what this General was capable of. Finding himself in need of some fresh air, Bastian had gone outside while the others remained inside, eating a small helping of food as they went over what they had learned. While Bastian's psychic abilities did not delve into clairvoyance, he could tell that dark times were ahead.

KABOOM!

Glancing upwards, Bastian saw a swarm of dark clouds appearing across the sun and sighed once again. This day was just not getting longer and longer by the minute. Bastian was suddenly knocked out of his thoughts by some small creature colliding against his leg. Glancing down, Bastian felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of a small furry creature that he had once seen on the silver screen. The creature was resembled a furby with its ears and face but he, Bastian assumed it was a he, possessed arms and legs that had three fingers and toes. His fur was white with a helping of brown over his back and most of his head save for the patch of white fur over his right eye. The little creature was also wearing a black armband over its right arm.

Bastian swallowed the lump in his throat and whispered in shock, "A… mogwai?"

The mogwai blinked and looked up at Bastian and began to tremble in fear before taking off back the way it had come. Bastian stood staring after the little creature before shaking himself out of his shocked stupor and taking off after the mogwai. He did not know for certain if all of the three rules applied to this mogwai but he wasn't about to let it get itself hurt from whatever it was running from. In little under a minute, Bastian saw exactly what the mogwai was running from.

Bactial.

"… Ah nuts!"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

**A/N: Here's the rest of the servants that have appeared as well as the other Generals!**

The III General – The Trick

Yinodo

Yinodo is one of the hardest of the Generals to fully understand. Much like Rachano, her loyalties and her motives are virtually nonexistent in the sense that everything about her is a trick of some form. Though she is not the weakest of them, Yinodo is the only General that does not use full-out confrontation or her servants in battle. Her tactics are the classic but still effective bait and trap maneuver in which she baits her chosen target into a trap where the target's allies will ultimately be the ones to kill her prey.

The IV General – The Hunt

Lekraxe

Lekraxe is the bloodthirstiest of the Generals, and one of the most feared for his keen interest on hunting his victims to their deaths. Lekraxe lives to kill his prey and especially enjoys keeping a trophy from his kills, preferably their soul. However, Lekraxe is a particular General whose victims are only the strongest in his eyes. Even more unfortunate is Lekraxe's habit of never giving up on a hunt. He may pause in it for decades at a time should something else catch his eyes but, in the end, he will kill his chosen prey. However, Lekraxe is a sporting type and will often submit to a challenge offered by his victims. Nevertheless, the list of Lekraxe's 'trophies' has only grown longer.

**The Servants of the Generals **

The I General – The Treacherous

Shadow-Spider

Shadow-Spiders, contrary to their name, are mostly similar to wasps and scorpions but with attitudes similar to spiders. Shadow-Spiders are always on the search for a human host to use and consume, and they prefer hosts with seedy souls, especially those of the dark variety. Shadow-Spiders are immensely weakened by light but can overcome it if they have eaten enough hosts and are in possession of a particularly strong one. The Shadow-Spiders were amongst the first wave of the Forgotten War and haunt even the most surliest of veterans' nightmares because of their voracious appetite whenever they are outside of Korauk.

The II General – The Copy

Kat-Wraith

Much like their master, Kat-Wraiths employ their ability to copy a person's form and fool their prey until the very end. Kat-Wraiths can also copy any form of weapon provided that they've seen it at least once in action. It is fortunate that few Kat-Wraiths have seen more modern weapons and that they cannot copy from one another. Still though, the few Kat-Wraiths that have seen modern weapons means that they are the eldest and, by far, the strongest of them. It should also be noted that whatever a Kat-Wraith copies is already dead if not dying somewhere where the victim's friends or family would never think to look.

The III General – The Trick

Chomeakhan

Chomeakhan are the proudest of the Generals' servants, and hate any form of insult to themselves or their mistress. Many of them are often killed because of this arrogance either by others of their kind, or by one of the other servants. Unlike the Shadow-Spiders, when a Chomeakhan possesses a host, they strengthen the host and use it as a shell until they can strike when their prey leasts expect it. One of the few ways to tell if a person is playing host to one of these reptilian monstrosities is the different ways the person acts such as great bouts of anger or strength to speaking in a very high pitch. 

The VI General – The Dead

Zombie

Zombies are the corpses of the disease given motion, nothing more and nothing less. However, unlike more widely used zombies, the VI General's brood are unique in a sense. For unlike most zombies, the VI General's brood aren't in a state of decay and, for all senses, look and act like they are alive except without the feeling of pain. They can use virtually all of the power that they had when they were alive save for the use of ki since a zombie can no longer produce such energies. Because of this, the zombies of Korauk are extremely hard to kill in most conventional fashions; the only weapon that can destroy any of them instead of a certain few are weapons composed of living flames. However, dispite their weakness to living flame, when the zombies are in the presence of their mistress, any hope of victory against them is minimal at best.

The VII General – The Disease

Slimoori

Not nearly as disgusting as their mistress, the Slimoori are the most disgusting of all the servants. Each Slimoori is colored differently to represent the different disease that they are, literally, covered with. So far, there has been a total of seventeen color variations known on hand. Fortunately, not all of the Slimoori's diseases effect every sentient breed. However, there is one Slimoori whose single attack was so devastating, over sixty percent of the planet and every living creature on it had landed on had to be burned beyond ash lest the disease enter the atmosphere.


	21. Author's Note

Attention to all readers of B.E.A.S.T. I have news both bad and good to the concerns of this fanfiction here.

B.E.A.S.T. is now officially a cancelled fiction.

HOWEVER! That doesn't mean that I've given up writing it.

_Confused? _

_Well, so am I! _

Bahamut, will you please?

_Oh, fine._

Anyway, what I mean to say is that a new, and hopefully better, version of B.E.A.S.T. will be made. I have quite a few reasons as to why I've come to this descision but only a few really matter so I'll just cover those real quick before I get to the good bits!

First, I, quite literally, wrote myself into a corner with B.E.A.S.T. I had an ending but the way the story was positioned… I'd have gone from level five to level eighty. No one likes to skip levels. … Unless they're pokemon levels cause you don't want to wait freaking forever for a Garchomp, but I digress.

Second, the B.E.A.S.T. crew was, quite frankly, too good to be true. They were all good guys with relatively simple problems and while they did balance the girls out like I intended, they were too… John Stew… There! I said it! They were the male opposites of Mary Sues! May the gods strike me down here and now! … Okay, I had my fun with the self-inflicted angst. Really though, the boys accepted their beasts and the possibility of magic too easily and there was little angst outside of Axel.

Third, I don't mean to sound offensive to anyone, really I don't, but I realized that I was being too… I don't know… stereotypical really… Basically, the black guy got together with the black girl and the Asian guy got together with the Asian guy. This was not my intent at all and while many might not feel comfortable with this, I've grown up knowing, and acknowledging, that love doesn't recognize such trivialities as color, or form in some cases, and I was betraying my own belief by writing the exact opposite.

I should also lay notice that I've never once said what my own "human-type" is for this very reason. I don't want anyone to judge me or my stories because of something as stupid as color or ancestry. So if anyone would really like to know… I'm actually purple-skinned and my family comes from Mars. And if anyone see's a purple-furred Cyclops with a long horn and wings, you never even heard of me.

Fourth, for god's sake, they, B.E.A.S.T. and W.I.T.C.H., got stronger faster than the Dragonball Z crew! I wanted this, but not at such a speed that the bad-guys would be nothing but pansies before the third arc!

Finally, I don't agree with the B.E.A.S.T. crews' beasts anymore. Never mind them being the actual beings of myth like the Jormungandr or the Tarasque, I just couldn't agree with the elements matching the forms nor could I agree with the dragon. I love dragons, I have a Mushuu for a pet and my best friend is the literal King of Dragons, and for me to be so… compliant with a dragon's form. Basically having a dragon made up of the forms of other dragons, just didn't sit right with me. It was a good idea at the time, but now that I've thought it over more… There will be a dragon, but I must choose the right one to be the Holder of the Soul as it were.

As with my other stories, the times in which I will update will be erractic and can occur at any time. I am a married man now with a baby-boy who's first word better be anything along the lines of papa or so help me he's not getting a car until he's forty-three!

_What if he says mama?_

… Then he gets a boat…

_A boat…?_

Something tells me that he's not going to be turning into a bird sometime in the future, Bahamut.

_You mean you didn't come up with the name Adrian just for the hell of it?_

No I did not! Camille and I agreed that it suited him! You got a problem with my son's name?

_I'm his god-dragon, why the hell would I have a problem, idiot?!_

Why you—Oh crap, I'm still on. I'll get you later you overgrown salamander.

_Still didn't answer the boat question._

It's a bet okay! Camille and I have a bet!

_You bet against your wife?_

… She bet against me actually…

_Dear Hyne, you two are rubbing off on each other._

Oh leave me alone.

Anyway folks, I've got to go and convince my kid to say papa or I'm out on my favorite boat, so I leave you now with a few quotes from the new, improved

**Chronicles of the BEAST: Ultimatum of the Soul**

"I feel it, residing within me. This monster, this… dragon of ancient times. I hate it for what its made me do to protect you… But if it is for your well-being that it does such horrible things to those who would do worst to you… I would sacrifice all of my humanity to it just so that I can be assured of your safety."

"I don't understand it really. Maybe I never will, but what I do understand is that, for a moment, the demon was afraid. Afraid that you had been hurt, or worse, killed by that gun-toting bastard. This demon… to be afraid for a human life… maybe its not such a bad demon after all."

"How much blood must be spilled… before this can end… Too many have been lost, but on these waters I swear no more shall fall! If I must join my soul with the beast within me, then so be it! I will not allow another of my kin to die without my going before them!"

"Ya know, I've been called a lot o' t'ings in my life, but I neva t'ought mos' o' t'em would be the truth… Really though, I had been called bull-headed afore… just neva t'ought I'd end up havin' somet'in like it in me."

"My grandfather knew it all this time… even after he died, he was prepared to do what it took to protect the world from it… All this time… I had thought he hated me for my mother… but he didn't hate me… He only cared about the monster inside of me and never saw the real me at all…"

"Out of all my brothers and sisters, I am the strongest. Do not be fooled in thinking otherwise. Your own pride will be your downfall before my own."

"Bones, muscles, blood, flesh, sinew…. Ooohh, so delicious, so scrumptious! Let me have just a bite!"

"Ironic that man's fall started with an apple and shall end with a seed."

"I am all and am none. I am that which cannot be and that which should be."


End file.
